The Love of a Father
by SerenLyall
Summary: While on a mission, SG-1 is captured by Belenus, the Celtic god of fire and science. He takes an interest in Sam, deciding to experiment on her and Jacob, who he had captured previously. Now, Jacob has kidnapped his own daughter, with plans to kill her.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer**: Definitely not mine (sadly). I am merely borrowing the ideas brought to this world by other people much more talented at writing than I, and I must say they have made my life better. All rights go to MGM, etc. No money was made off of this story.

**Rating**: Teen! Rated Teen for: violence, torture and language. (basically, just semi-Adult Themes)

**Category**: Angst/Family/Whump (yes, I realize whump isn't an official. But it's the truth)

**Summary** (Due to the fact that I don't wish to give anything away, I am only posting half of the summary): While on a mission, SG-1 is captured by a relatively obscure Goa'uld, Belenus, the Celtic god of fire and science. While in his clutches, the members of SG-1 find someone they weren't expecting to. Only, he's not quite the same...

**Time frame**: Not entirely sure...Selmak has blended with Jacob, but before Daniel ascends. So probably sometime about mid-late Season 4.

**A/N**: OK...this is my first fanfic. Ever. So please tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome, although _please_ don't be _too too _harsh. It'll make me cry (ok, no not really. But still, it will make my world a sad place).

Also, if you don't like character whump (especially, for this one, Sam whump), then I'd suggest not reading this. I was in an extremely foul mood when I conceived this idea, which translates out into me being cruel to the characters.

Anyway, all that aside, I hope you all like it :). Please review and tell me what you think and how I can make it better!

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The Love of a Father

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Pain exploded through her head, driving her to her knees. Her hands reached for her temple, clutching her blood soaked head in shaking hands. Bloody welts crisscrossed her arms and palms, black and purple blotches marring her fair features.

A chilling laugh echoed around the small, enclosed space, the very voice seeming to leech warmth out of the already frigid air. The woman trembled at the sound of the voice, a small, unexplainable sound escaping from her lips: a mix between a whimper, a sob, and a plea. Tremors wracked her crumpled form, causing her to shake uncontrollably.

"No one will ever find you here; surely you realize that by now," the man said, stepping out of the shadowed corner where he had been lounging, watching the pain he had been inflicting on the blonde woman.

The woman lying on the floor turned over onto her side, staring up at the man towering above her with anger and despair clouding her blue eyes.

"What happened to you?" she asked her thin voice catching. "Da-." The name was cut off as the man savagely kicked her, sending her body crashing into the plywood wall a few feet beyond.

He reached into his pocket, drawing out a short, slightly pointed, metal tipped rod, flicking a switch on the side. The small implement began to hum with power and the metal began to hiss and spark from the electricity coursing through it.

He knelt by the woman's side, grasping her hair and pulling her upright. With a savage glee foreign to his once benign features, the man gently lowered the buzzing metal until it barely brushed the bare skin between the woman's shirt and her neck. Her muscles immediately tensed, the currents of electricity jumping into her.

With an abrupt jerk, the man stabbed the dull point into her collarbone, the blunt tip impacting bone.

Her scream filled the night sky, the only witnesses to her pain the baleful moon and the ever watching stars.


	2. Chapter 1: Never a Dull Day

**Disclaimer**: Not mine. Still. Of course. Obviously. Sadly. Enough said...

**A/N**: Thank you to everyone who has continued on to the official Chapter 1. I appreciate it. I _really_ do. Anyway, here it is. Much more kind than the prologue...although still a bit angsty. I would still love reviews telling me what you all think, and I welcome any ideas on how to make it better.

I know that this is a fairly short chapter, but I'm still kind of getting into the "swing of things" as the saying goes, and I haven't quite found my element yet.

Oh yeah, and this isn't Beta'd. I have been my own editor this time around. So all mistakes are mine and mine alone.

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Chapter 1: Never a Dull Day

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0700hrs 11/13 – 1 week previously

"Daniel, I don't _care_ how fascinating those manuscripts are," came the drawling voice issuing out of the elevator as the doors swung open. "Sleep is important. _Very_ important. Bed, _now_, if you want to go on the mission at 1600."

A resigned and extremely exhausted Daniel slouched out of the elevator, his hair mussed and his eyes clouded with sleep deprivation behind his glasses.

"Morning Sam," he yawned. "If I were you, I wouldn't let Jack know you stayed on base all night too," he said, lowering his voice as he passed her.

"Wasn't planning on it," the blonde haired major replied, grinning. "Of course, I _did_ actually sleep last night."

"In your lab," protested Daniel, rolling his eyes as he brushed past his friend. Sam shrugged innocently, joining her CO in the elevator. He eyed her suspiciously as if trying to determining whether or not he needed to send her off to take a nap as well.

"Morning Sir," she said brightly, punching the button indicating level 22.

"You're heading to the Commissary," Jack O'Neill said shrewdly. Sam shrugged, saying, "I didn't grab any breakfast on my way out of the door this morning – I came in early today."

"As in, stayed all night?" quipped Colonel O'Neill.

Sam grinned then replied, "Maybe. But I did sleep, unlike Daniel."

"Just make sure you're awake for our mission!" O'Neill called out to her as she exited the elevator. "You know how important it is to be wide awake so you can study all those pretty trees that…" The door slid shut again, effectively cutting off whatever else it was the Colonel had been saying.

Sam chuckled to herself as she strode into the Commissary. It was never a dull day when you had Colonel O'Neill as your CO, she'd give him that.

~**SG-1**~**SG-1**~**SG-1**~

Sam heard the unique thumping sound of a staff weapon being discharged and immediately dropped to her stomach. The tree branch directly above her head exploded into a dozen smoldering fragments, the smell of charred wood permeating the foggy air. She rolled sideways, taking cover behind a fallen log, crouching down on her knees behind the rotten wood.

With one fluid movement, the major straightened her torso, sighted, then pressed the trigger of her P90, releasing a spray of bullets into an oncoming Jaffa.

"Got any ideas Carter?" Colonel O'Neill asked, dropping down to join her behind her 'impenetrable' wooden wall.

"Not really Sir," Carter replied. "Just try to get the hell outta here and back to the gate."

"Thank you Major," replied the colonel sarcastically. "I hadn't thought of that one."

"Colonel O'Neill," came Teal'c's voice crackling over the radio strapped to the colonel's vest. "A small contingent of Jaffa appears to be attempting to outflank you."

Sam chanced a glance past her CO, barely having time to register the fact that, indeed, a group of Jaffa were nearing their position, attempting to overrun them. Colonel O'Neill fired, sending a multitude of flying metal shards burying themselves into flesh. The Jaffa fell, blood pooling beneath their limp forms, soaking the ground with the essence of coppery life.

Sam wrenched her attention back to the front just in time to see a Jaffa warrior aiming his weapon straight for O'Neill's turned and unprotected back. Reacting on instinct and adrenaline, Carter lunged to her left, knocking her commanding officer to the ground, rolling to get out of the line of fire. Colonel O'Neill looked up, shooting the offending man between the eyes, then nodded at his 2IC, silently thanking her for the save.

"Is it just me or do these Jaffa seem to be able to actually aim?"

"It's not just you Sir," Carter replied, flattening herself against the ground again as another blast of energy whistled over her head.

The slight rustling of a holly-like bush at the edge of the small clearing caught her attention. Her gun snapped up, ready to fire if it was a hostile, but she waited for a visual before she shot down whoever it was.

A rather small figure with disheveled brown hair and glasses hanging askew on the bridge of his nose came scurrying towards Sam and Jack. Daniel dropped down to join her and the colonel.

"Teal'c and I couldn't hold the path," he told them, breathing heavily. "There were just too many of them."

"Well, our 'go-around' plan didn't exactly work out either," replied Jack, his voice sour.

Suddenly, all around them, the forest fell silent. O'Neill carefully raised his head, peering over the edge of the log. Nothing was moving.

"This doesn't seem like a very good complication," Sam said quietly, her brows knitting together. Daniel opened his voice to say something else, but just then, something was thrown behind their makeshift barrier.

Sam barely had time to register that it was a round, metal canister with small, black seals punched through the surface, when the metal spirals blocking the holes slid open. A gas began to issue out of the hollow container, the white tendrils mixing with the swirling eddies of the fog billowing around them already.

The next thing Carter knew, the world was spinning around her crazily, bright flashes of red exploding behind her eyes. Her hands moved to cover her mouth and nose, but it was too late. The last thing she remembered were her eyes rolling back into her head, her shoulder slamming into the hard ground.

Then darkness descended into her world.


	3. Chapter 2: In the Hands of a God

**Disclaimer**: Blah Blah Blah...just like my previous ones-I don't own StarGate or any of the characters, I just enjoy sending them on a wild ride, and I promise to have them home by dinner

**A/N**: Hopefully this chapter will make the Summary make a little bit more sense, and I am pleased to inform everyone...the plot thickens, quite considerably. I had hoped to get this up last night, but, sadly, I had to get to bed before my wonderful and amazing friend could send it back, read and revised. Anyway, I hope you enjoy :). (Oh, and PLEASE review, I _really_ wanna know what you guys think about it!)

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Chapter 2: In the Hands of a God

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The first thing she realized was that she was lying on something hard and cold. The second was that she was strapped down, metal bands encircling both her wrists and ankles.

Sam's eyes flew open – something she immediately regretted. The sudden light that seared into her open eyes felt like a nail being driven through her skull, tearing the sensitive tissue into painful shreds. She snapped her eyelids closed again, but the damage was done; her head pounded, a knot of pain forming in the base of her skull.

The next time she opened her eyes, it was a mere crack. Ever so slowly, Sam began to widen her eyes until, after what felt like an eternity, she could look around her.

She was lying on a metal table standing just off-center of the chamber. The walls seemed to be made out of stone, the door behind her and to her right shining metal. The ceiling above her head was low, looking somewhat earthen in nature. Wooden beams crisscrossed the roof, creating even more of a slightly claustrophobic feeling to the room. Counters and cabinets were spaced along the walls, all of the strange implements resting on them looking as if they were neatly in their correct places. Small, artificial lights set into the ceiling gave off a faint glow, fully illuminating the room, but not making it over-bright.

Sam heard a groan, then someone shifting around directly to her right. She turned her head, catching a glimpse of graying hair and a surly expression.

Colonel O'Neill groaned again, shaking his head as he blinked harshly. His head darted to his right, then his left, his face lighting up when he saw Carter awake and watching him. His head snaked back around to his right, then looked back toward Sam.

"Daniel's still out of it," he said, then attempting to peer past her. "Teal'c over there?" he asked, his voice not quite hopeful but not quite anxious either.

Sam quickly double-checked, but found the same thing as she had the first time she had given the room an inspection.

"No sir," Carter replied. "He's not there; just a wall and some cabinets." She heard her CO sigh and grumble under his breath.

"Guess we can only hope that that's a good thing then," he finally said, this time loud enough for her to make out his words. He let his head flop back against the table he was fastened to, his eyes roving over their surroundings.

"So what do you make of this, sir?" Sam asked, glancing around again, herself.

"We're strapped to tables. In some kind of laboratory. By some wacko snakehead."

_That pretty much sums it up_, Sam thought wryly, although she didn't speak her thoughts aloud.

A moan to Jack's right brought both Sam and Jack's attention snapping over to where Daniel was finally beginning to awaken, yelping as the light struck his sensitive eyes.

"Jack? Sam?" he called out, his eyes screwed tightly shut.

"We're here," Sam answered, trying to reassure her friend. She drew breath to say something else, when the door behind them slid open. Sam craned her neck around, barely managing to get the entire opening in her peripheral vision.

Two large, burly men dressed in the traditional Jaffa armor stepped into the room, then off to either side of the door. Behind them strode a tall, skinny man with shocking silver hair that fell to his shoulders in rippling waves. He moved with a grace resembling that of a cat, his posture erect and stiff.

He swept around the tables, halting at the foot of O'Neill's where all three of them could see him. He cocked his head to one side, as if examining the three people strapped down and immobile before him.

"I am Belenus," he finally stated, his reedy voice strengthened with the dual tones of the Goa'uld. He rested one hand on the metal surface of the table by his side, eying them coldly. "You are my prisoners."

"Naw really?" quipped O'Neill. "We hadn't noticed, being tied to tables and all."

The Goa'uld ignored the insolent colonel, instead turning his back on them and crossing to the counter beyond. He seemed to pick something up, fiddling with it as he continued. "You are here for one purpose alone: I have had rare opportunity to experiment on a Tau'ri. And I am intrigued to discover if there is anything…unique…about your specific breed."

He turned back to face them, his lips quirked in a malicious grin. "You are here for my amusement and interest." He twirled the long, slightly knotted utensil through his willowy fingers, inspecting the three of them again.

"How shall we begin?" Belenus asked, turning and placing the rod back onto the counter.

~**SG-1**~**SG-1**~**SG-1~**

Not much happened the first time around. It was basically just poking and prodding, Sam decided upon reflection. Belenus had drawn blood from each of them, then basically done the equivalent of a CAT scan and an MRI. After examining the results of each test, a strange, thoughtful look seemed to settle over his features, and he left without another word. Not that Carter, Daniel, or O'Neill really minded.

"What was that all about?" Daniel asked after Belenus had left.

Carter sighed, saying, "I'm not sure. And I'm not even sure why he really _needs_ us. He's already experimented on an Earth human."

"Yeah. I heard that too," Daniel admitted.

"Do you know who that guy is?" O'Neill cut in.

"Apparently that's Belenus, who was the Celtic god of fire and science," Daniel replied without hesitation.

"Science," Sam mused. "I guess that explains one thing; his fascination with experimenting on us," she said morbidly.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Fourteen hours; that was how long they had been lying there, strapped to the cold, unforgiving metal of the lab tables, staring at the same monotonous ceiling.

"Ya know, they _could_ have given us someplace nicer, like a nice comfy cell or something," O'Neill complained.

"Yeah, real relaxing and nice," said Daniel sarcastically.

"Well it would be better than here," snapped Jack, turning his head viciously to the side.

"Boys! Please!" sighed Carter, who had been forced to deal with their bickering for the last eight hours. Both Daniel and O'Neill quieted, both of them glaring sullenly at their surroundings.

Sam, meanwhile, was busy exploring the metal that was cuffing them to the tables, attempting to find a catch or a hole, _something_ by which she could pick the lock holding them tightly secured. So far, she had had no luck, her probing fingertips merely coming into contact with more cold, heartless steel.

"Damn," she cursed quietly as her left wrist cramped for the third time that day, forcing her to stop her investigation yet again. She laid her head back against the flat surface, currently agreeing with her CO; a cell was _much_ more comfortable than being tied down on the tables.

The door slid open again, Belenus swooping into the room. He stopped by what was his equivalent of a computer, searching through the databases for something. He seemed to find whatever it was that he had been looking for, for his head suddenly snapped upward, his cold, ice blue eyes examining Sam in a malignant way.

"Take her to Lab 2A-f," he commanded imperiously, one of the Jaffa moving quickly to obey.

With a small _snick_, the cuffs binding Carter to the table sprang open. Before she could move, however, she was hauled roughly off of the flat surface, her feet slamming into the floor and her knees buckling as the blood suddenly rushed back into her legs. The Jaffa grabbed onto her shoulder, keeping her upright as she nearly fell to the floor, then half dragged, half pushed Carter out of the door and down the hallway.

"And now," drawled Belenus, "For the rest of you."

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Sam was marched down the corridor, her legs finally beginning to reawaken enough that she didn't solely rely on the Jaffa to hold her upright. As they walked, Carter attempted to remember the directions.

_Right, right, middle fork, left_. _Up the short flight of steps, down the sloping tunnel. Right, left._

And then, the man was stopping, opening a door similar to the one in the other lab. Sam was pushed inside, tripping over her feet as she was shoved over. She broke her fall with a shoulder, rolling to stop any more serious injury other than a few bruises. She fetched up against a counter, knocking her head into the stone edge of it.

She lay there, dazed for a second before shaking her head to clear her vision and sitting upright. To her surprise, the Jaffa that had escorted her to this new room had taken a step closer to her, his face creased in a slightly worried frown.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you fall," he said, his voice, to Carter's surprise, gentle and sounding truly sincere. She looked at him again, this time looking past the armor and the tattoo stamped onto his forehead.

He was a fairly young man, with sandy blonde hair flopping across his forehead, partially hiding the ugly mark burned into his forehead. He had thoughtful, hazel eyes that glinted with a youth and an innocence that service to the Goa'uld seemed to not have tainted.

The young man offered Sam a sheepish grin, then moved back against the door, blocking her only escape, and resuming his previous, serious glare.

_He's just a boy_ Sam realized as she ran her fingers through her hair, then rubbed her wrists where the metal had chaffed at the skin. She stood shakily to her feet, working the feeling back into her numb legs, and began to investigate the room she now found herself imprisoned in.

In general layout, it was very similar to the one where she had previously been held along with Colonel O'Neill and Daniel. This room, however, seemed to be more of a biological testing room. There were vials as well as glass and pewter beakers, syringes and metal tubes. When she quickly peered into the cabinets, she found liquids and the pickled remains of various species, some of which she recognized from planets she had previously visited, some still alien to her.

Sam half expected her guard to stop her from poking around, but he didn't. In fact, he hardly moved at all, the only things that shifted constantly were his eyes as he watched her stalk about the room.

After about half of an hour of pacing around the small, enclosed space, contemplating ways to escape, Carter heard something out in the hallway.

The Jaffa guarding her stepped aside, and Belenus stepped into the room. He ignored Sam for a moment, pulling a chair out from a corner and sinking down into it. It was only then that he raised his gaze to stare imperiously into Carter's pale blue eyes. He leaned back, crossing his legs, as if contemplating what he was about to say.

"Why have you brought me here?" Carter finally said, shattering the silence that had descended.

"Now, now, Samantha," purred the Goa'uld, "No need to be impatient. All will be made clear in due time." He continued to watch her with his searching gaze, a small smile beginning to lift the corners of his mouth.

"You may be wondering how exactly I know your name…your full name, I should say," Belenus finally said, shifting his gaze to look at the Jaffa still standing guard at the door. He nodded curtly, and the young man bowed, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind his retreating form. "Because, in fact, you are known best by your most commonly used name. Major Sam Carter," he supplied at Sam's continued confused look. Carter nodded once, slowly, a knot of apprehension growing in her gut.

"So how do you know my name?" she asked venomously, surly complying with what the Goa'uld had been attempting to get her to ask.

"Because," Belenus said, openly smiling now, "That's the only name he ever screams."

The door slid open, and two Jaffa entered, carrying a semi-conscious form between them. The sandy blonde haired man stepped in after them, reclaiming his position by the door as the two others lifted the limp body onto the table, fastening the cuffs around his hands and feet.

The Jaffa obstructing her view suddenly moved aside and Sam saw, with a thrill of horror and recognition, her father, Jacob Carter, lying motionless on the table.

With a soft curse and a few hurried steps, Sam was by her father's side, her fingers flying to check his pulse. As her fingertips brushed his neck, Jacob moaned softly, his eyelids flickering frantically.

His face was covered with bruises and cuts in various stages of healing. His shaggy hair was matted with dried blood, the cuts under them having healed long ago thanks to Selmak's healing capabilities. He was wearing a thin, gray shirt and tan, baggy pants, his bare toes poking out of the soft fabric. Three quarters of his toenails were missing, where they should have been merely ragged and oozing holes.

"What have you done to him?" Carter hissed, rage boiling up inside of her. She closed her eyes, battling the nausea that rose in her throat and fighting down the fury that threatened to overwhelm her. She clenched her hands, her nails biting into the soft flesh as she restrained herself, realizing that acting upon that anger would only make things worse for both her and her father.

Belenus merely smiled, showing perfect white teeth that flashed with a distinctively evil gleam. "Oh, he's been the perfect little toy," he said calmly.

In her world, it was the father who was meant to protected his daughter, who fought for her honor and destroyed the man who harmed her. In this world, however, it was the daughter who battled for her father, who demanded retribution for the wrongs done to him.

Carter leaped for the Goa'uld, a snarl fixed on her face, pure hatred gleaming in her usually calm and collected eyes. Surprise showed on the man's face, shock at her audacity glinting in his piercing gaze. She was a mere foot away from wiping the smirk from his face, when Sam was grabbed on both sides and slammed onto the ground, the breath being forced from her lungs as her back impacted the hard floor.

She bucked, attempting to fight the men off of her, but they merely knelt on her stomach and on her shoulders, effectively holding her down onto the ground.

Belenus stood up, a new vindictiveness in the straight line that his mouth formed. "I would have done this almost painfully, but now? Now I think I will enjoy it to its fullest."

The Goa'uld reached behind him, picking up a syringe from a metal tray. He inspected it, then knelt by Sam's still fighting form. He lowered the tip of the needle until it was hovering just above her neck, the point quivering. She stilled almost instantaneously, knowing that if she jerked now, then the needle could puncture her windpipe, effectively killing her.

Belenus smirked, then plunged the tip of the needle into the soft skin on the side of her neck, directly into the vein pulsing under her jaw. She felt the swelling of the needle as he drew the blood from her body and into the tube.

The needle withdrew, the vial that was attached filled with the dark red substance that was her blood. She felt the warm trickling of blood as it continued to flow viscously from the puncture in her neck, wetting her shirt with a sticky red stain. Belenus stood, turning to the counter again, placing the syringe back on the metal tray and retrieving a second needle, before repeated the process on the other side of her neck. Then, to her horror, he drew a long, serrated knife from his belt. Fear coursed through her body, her heart beginning to race as he lowered it almost lovingly to her chin, tracing the curve of her jaw as he moved the blade out of sight behind her head. She felt a sharp tug, then the piercing pricks of hair being wrenched from her scalp. She bit her lip to stop the sharp intake of breath that threatened. The Goa'uld drew the knife away, a lock of hair clutched daintily between thumb and forefinger.

He rose again, motioning haphazardly behind him, and Carter felt herself being tugged to her feet then forced to her knees, her head being pulled up sharply by a tug from a hand laced through her hair.

Belenus moved back into her view, carrying two small beakers filled with navy blue liquid. He dipped a needle into the first one, checking to make sure it was flowing correctly, then turned to smile at Sam.

Behind him, Sam saw her father's eyes open and his gaze flit sideways. He stopped, staring at her with shock resonating in their dark brown depths. "Sam?" he managed to whisper in the sudden silence. She couldn't say a word, her jaw locking so that the tears that threatened to drip down her cheek wouldn't fall; she could only attempt to give him a small, reassuring smile. It came out as more of a grimace, her eyes holding all of the pain and fear that she felt inside.

Belenus' grin only grew as he turned his back to Sam and bent over her father, almost lovingly lowering the needle and piercing the back of her father's neck, injecting the liquid into the symbiote wrapped around Jacob's spine.

Sam watched, unable to look away and afraid to blink as Jacob's muscles tightened, going into spasm as the liquid worked its way into his system. He jerked, fighting the metal restraints, his eyes glazing over, no longer seeing his daughter as she watched him with barely concealed terror.

"What are you doing to him?" Sam nearly screamed, her voice choked with anger and fear for her father.

Belenus turned to her, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. "Oh, you'll find out soon enough," he said loftily as he stabbed a second needle filled with the remainder of the navy blue solution into Jacob's arm. "You'll find out soon enough."

Jacob suddenly slumped against the table, unconscious for a few agonizing moments. Then, his eyes snapped open, the dark depths of his irises clouded with pain and confusion. He turned his head, his gaze locking with Sam's for a split instant.

Something flashed through Jacob's eyes, something Sam would only later be able to put words to. It was a mixture of fear, anger, and hate.

Then, it was gone as Jacob turned his head away from his daughter as the darkness claimed him once again.


	4. Chapter 3: Flight to Fight

**Disclaimer**: Not mine...never will be. All characters and recurring themes belong to MGM and their perspective owners. The only thing I claim as my own is the plot.

**A/N:** Ok, I have a couple of things this time. First of all, I realized that in Chapter 1, I said that it was April 13. That isn't true...it's actually NOVEMBER 13! Sorry about that discrepancy.

Secondly, this is un-Beta'd (seeing as how I, as of now, am still lacking one), so all screw-ups (including but not limited to grammatical errors, misspelling of names and places, and other mistakes) are mine and mine alone. So please don't go blaming anyone.

Thirdly, I have never written from Teal'c's point of view. In fact, he usually plays a minor character in all of my ideas and stories, seeing as I'm always afraid to write him (since he's SO different than me). So if anyone has any qualms with his character in this, please tell me and I will attempt to edit and fix it. I truly love the character and would love to have him as a more prominent figure in some of my other tentative story ideas, so I am honestly attempting to learn how to write his character.

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Chapter 3: Flight to Fight

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Teal'c strode quickly along the forest floor, his tread light despite his size and weight. Behind him, he could hear the pursuing tramp of a Jaffa patrol, their armor clinking as they ran. He mentally raised an eyebrow at their apparent lack of the ability for stealth, although that merely enabled him to stay out of their clutches all the easier.

Dusk was just falling, fog rising from the murky forest floor more thickly, shadows caressing the bases of the trees as the sun set, gilding the leaves high in the canopy a brilliant gold. Teal'c kept to the shadows, moving swiftly to keep ahead of the search for him.

He had sent Daniel Jackson to aid Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter, preparing to follow in his wake while he himself held off the attackers for as long as he could, giving the others a chance to break through the opposing ranks of Jaffa hindering their attempt at reaching the Gate. At which time, Teal'c had been planning on retreating, meeting up with the other members of his team as they neared the Chappa'ai and their escape to Earth.

However, the gunfire that he had been hearing in irregular intervals died away suddenly, the forest in the general location of where his team had been battling suddenly stilling. It was in that moment that Teal'c knew that, once again, things had not gone according to plan.

He had quickly broken off his attack, retreating back the way they had come, deciding that keeping out of clutches of the false god that had captured his friends would be the best course of action.

Thus, he had spent the last two hours leading the Jaffa patrols in meandering lines, attempting to formulate a plan on how to make his way back to the Stargate and back to the SGC, where he could enlist the aid of General Hammond to rescue his teammates.

Teal'c paused, looking up through the towering trees, his eyes following the outline of a rocky precipice that stretched a jagged finger up into the violet sky. Glancing over his shoulder, Teal'c broke into a jog, making his hurried way to the base of the cliff.

Gazing upward, his suspicions were confirmed and he slung his staff weapon over his back, securing it with his jacket folded and tied across his chest. Then, he began the difficult ascent up the craggy rock face. Approximately twenty feet up into the air, a small, dark opening shone darkly against the gray stone that made up the cliff, the only indication of the cave cut deep into the rock.

Although the enemy Jaffa could perhaps deduce where he was, Teal'c knew that he would have the upper hand in a fire fight, seeing as he would be much higher in the air than his opponents, and thus would be able to fire down upon their heads. Also, the Jaffa would be forced to climb the cliff if they wished to attempt a frontal assault, in which case he would merely be able to shoot them before they were halfway up.

With one, final heave, the large man pulled his body torso over the lip of the cave, swinging the staff weapon tied to his back parallel with the cave floor, sliding it out of its makeshift holster and into the shadowed hole. He brought his knees up to the ground as well, crouching down, his hear barely brushing the top of the cave, and moved farther back. The cave quickly opened up, the ceiling rising and the walls of the small stone chamber receding.

After giving the cave a quick once-over to ensure that he was alone in the chamber, Teal'c returned to the mouth of the cave lying on his stomach and peering out over the edge. In the fading light, he could just barely make out half a dozen Jaffa appearing out of the thick foliage surrounding the base of the cliff. He quickly withdrew, listening intently.

"He came this way, I know he did," said one with a low, deep, gravelly voice.

"Well, he's not here now," said a second man, this one with a higher, more melodic tone.

"There are caves in these cliffs," said a third man.

"They're too high," scoffed the second man. "No one would be able to scale those rocks, let alone in the amount of time it took us to get here. No way."

Teal'c heard some mumbling, and then the tramping of the Jaffa patrol past the section of the cliff in which he was hiding in.

He relaxed momentarily, allowing his muscles to rest after their prolonged exercise. He then moved farther back into the cave, out of sight of the ground, and settled back against the wall, closing his eyes and formulating a plan.

He was going to have to make it back to the Gate. That much, at least, was clear. How he was to accomplish that, however, was another matter. He decided he would attempt to navigate the forest after nightfall, when the Jaffa would likely expect him to take refuge someplace, and would therefore not be searching in the open forest. Now the most pressing matter would be to determine in which direction the Gate was.

He shifted, his staff weapon sliding off of his crossed legs, skittering across the floor. Teal'c was silently reaching over to retrieve his escaped weapon when he paused, listening intently.

The faint echoing of a small showering of pebbles hitting metal resonated from the floor. With a slight frown, Teal'c began to sift his fingers through the gritty dirt that comprised the floor of the cave. His fingers brushed against something he had not been expecting: metal bars.

Working more quickly now, Teal'c began to sweep the gravel away and off to one side of the cave. After only a few seconds of efficient cleaning, Teal'c was able to make out a metal grate, slats of metal resting at angles to keep dust and rubble out of the shaft beneath.

Teal'c stood, gripping onto the grate with both hands, and heaved, pulling the makeshift trapdoor upwards. It swung open, the hinges protesting loudly at their sudden use. Teal'c lowered himself to one knee, examining the tunnel beneath.

Metal rungs led straight down into the darkness, the gleaming handholds becoming lost in the murky darkness far below. Shifting his weight, the large Jaffa lowered both his legs into the hole, gripping onto the edge of the shaft with one hand, grasping the metal grate with the other. As he began to descend, he pulled the grate shut, effectively blocking out most of the already filtered light.

He descended quickly and was soon swallowed up by shadow. As his hands and feet moved methodically, he considered his actions. He hoped that this would help lead him to where his friends were being kept, for he distinctly recognized the shaft leading downwards as a Goa'uld escape tunnel.

His left foot hit something hard and solid – the floor. Teal'c lowered the rest of his weight onto the ground, the metal platform staying firm and steady. He trailed his fingers along the wall, finally finding what it was he had been looking for. With a twist, he triggered the door opener, a small cavity opening close beside him.

Lights flickered to life in the mostly rounded tunnel, illuminating the small earthen passage. Teal'c gripped his staff weapon with a steady hand and began to pace down it, his eyes constantly roving from side to side. His mind was a riot of thoughts and tentative plans. If it was possible, he was going to free his friends now and escape with them. If that would prove to be impossible, he would merely ascertain that they were indeed in this facility, then would retreat to the SGC to procure backup and return with a greater force and firepower.

Teal'c suddenly stopped so he could hear better. He heard the sound of hurried footsteps rushing down the dirt corridor as well as the faint clank of mail alerting him to the fact that they were foe, not friend. He quickly retraced his steps, ducking through the door and into the shaft again. He drew back into the shadows, realizing that it was too late and the Jaffa too close for him to close the door without alerting them to his presence. He could only hope that the Jaffa coming to investigate would assume that it was a malfunction in the machinery that had opened the door, not an actual human being.

Two men stopped in front of the open door, their staff weapons held tightly at the ready. They peered into the shaft, examining the interior. Teal'c froze, remaining perfectly still. Their eyes flickered over him, not truly seeing him, much to his relief.

The first man snorted. "Just a glitch I suppose," he said. "I'm not entirely sure why he reacted so violently to this. These things happen from time to time."

"Well, Lord Belenus did just capture three new subjects," remarked the second man casually. "Perhaps, then, Del'idren believed that this was a rescue attempt."

"Well, looks like he was wrong," sighed the first man, triggering the door closed again.

Teal'c moved, slowly at first, then with more assurance. He now knew that his friends were indeed being held prisoner here, and he also realized that he, alone, would not be able to penetrate deep enough into the facility to facilitate an effective rescue. Because of this, he decided, he would return to the Gate and gather reinforcements, especially since he now knew a back way into the compound.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

"Unscheduled off world activation," came Harriman's voice over the intercom. "It's SG-1's IDC sir," he said, looking over his shoulder at General Hammond, who was standing just behind him.

Hammond nodded, giving the order to open the iris. Walter leaned over, palming open the protective metal shield that covered the event horizon.

A lone figure exited the shimmering puddle, his size and weapon alerting Hammond to the fact that it was Teal'c. Behind him, the Gate deactivated, throwing the Gateroom into seeming darkness.

A slight frown creasing his eyebrows, Hammond descended the steps, entering the Gateroom as Teal'c descended the ramp.

"Where's the rest of SG-1?" Hammond asked Teal'c, a growing knot of anxiety forming in his stomach.

"The other members of my team were captured by a minor Goa'uld, General Hammond," Teal'c informed him with a nod.

Hammond nodded, not entirely surprised. When did anything ever go right for his flagship team?

"Request permission to return through the Gate to P3R-687 with reinforcements," Teal'c stated almost immediately, something else that didn't surprise Hammond greatly.

"Debriefing first," Hammond ordered. "We need to know what happened out there, Teal'c." The Jaffa nodded, relinquishing his staff weapon to the Airman that stepped forward to relieve him of his weapon.

"Go to the infirmary," stated Hammond. "We'll debrief in half an hour."

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

"The mission to P3R-687 began as proposed," began Teal'c, who was sitting immediately to Hammond's left at the large oak table in the Briefing Room. Across from him sat Major Griff, the current leader of SG-2. Filling the remaining seats were the other members of SG-2, all of them watching Teal'c expectantly.

"Upon arriving, Major Carter took her accustomed soil samples. We then began to sweep the area, per your orders, General Hammond." Hammond nodded, watching Teal'c with his hands folded loosely on the table in front of him.

"Approximately three clicks south of the Stargate, Daniel Jackson discovered ancient ruins similar to those of an ancient culture called the Celts. He began to explore the ruins with Major Carter, while Colonel O'Neill and I secured the perimeter. As we were completing our perimeter sweep, however, a small squad of Jaffa exited the trees. They opened fire and Colonel O'Neill ordered us retreat back to the Stargate, not wishing to engage them in battle.

We were nearing the clearing in which the Stargate stood when we were ambushed by a second squad of Jaffa. Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter attempted to outflank them and attack from the rear, but it seems as if they, too, were met with secondary opposition. Daniel Jackson and I held the path until the sheer numbers were too much. Daniel Jackson retreated to inform Colonel O'Neill of our predicament.

However, as I was preparing to follow, the forest around me fell silent, and I could no longer hear the sounds of fighting. I attempted to make contact with Colonel O'Neill, but he did not respond.

I deduced that they had been captured, and thus decided to take evasive actions and attempt to return through the Stargate. I avoided the Jaffa patrols hunting me. Just before sunset, I discovered a cliff, in which there was a cave that I sought refuge in.

Due to luck, I discovered a Goa'uld escape tunnel leading down underground. I followed it, but upon opening the hatch, I undoubtedly set off an alarm. Two Jaffa guards came to investigate the open door, and I realized then that I would not be able to infiltrate the compound and rescue my friends alone. I affirmed that Colonel O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, and Major Carter were, indeed, in the facility, then retreated through the Stargate."

Teal'c fell silent, staring around with an impassive face. One of the members of SG-2 was staring slightly at Teal'c, apparently having never heard him speak so many words in a row before.

Major Griff spoke up. "Sir," he said, addressing General Hammond. "Requesting permission to lead a rescue mission to retrieve SG-1. It sounds to me like there's a relatively straightforward point of entry into the facility that is only minimally guarded." He opened his mouth to continue his argument, attempting to convince General Hammond to allow him to go.

General Hammond cut him off. "Permission granted," he said decisively, standing. "You leave at 1300 hours."

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Teal'c stood in the Gateroom, watching as the Stargate spun, the chevrons locking into place. He heard SG-2 entering the room and turned to look at them.

Major Griff accepted his P90 from the waiting Airman, turning to watch the Gate like Teal'c.

"You seemed most anxious to mount the rescue mission," Teal'c commented.

"Yeah, well, you four have saved me and my team's asses more times than I can count," he said, checking the magazine in his gun. He snapped clip back into place and snapping it to the buckle on his vest, looking up at Teal'c. "Just knocking off another debt owed," he said, smiling tightly.

Teal'c nodded understandingly as the seventh chevron locked and the Gate opened with its customary splash.

"SG-2 and Teal'c, you have a go," General Hammond instructed over the microphone. "Bring them home people, and Godspeed." Major Griff turned and saluted the leader of the base, Teal'c giving Hammond his customary nod of the head.

With that, the two mounted the ramp, the other three members of SG-2 falling in behind them.

With the strange feeling that always came with Gate travel, Teal'c found himself back on P3R-687, looking upon the exact trees as he had almost 24 hours previously.

Behind him Teal'c heard the Stargate disengage, then the thud of four pairs of boots tramping down the stone steps that lead to the dais upon which the Gate rested. Teal'c turned, his staff weapon held behind him.

"Which way, Teal'c?" Major Griff asked, stepping down beside the large Jaffa.

"The tunnel leading into the Goa'uld compound is this way," Teal'c said, indicating the direction of the cliff.

"Teal'c, you lead the way. Pierce, you watch our sixes," Griff ordered, and with that, the members of SG-2, with Teal'c in the lead, fell into step, making their way through the dense undergrowth, on their way to rescue the hostage members of SG-1.


	5. Chapter 4: Healing of a Shattered Soul

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. All characters that appeared in the StarGate SG-1 movies, TV shows, and other paraphernalia belong exclusively to their creators and MGM. Other ideas and supplementary characters are mine (yay!). No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N:** So this chapter is a little bit shorter (which I guess means I have to have a long A/N), and kinda just pulls some things together in regards to Daniel and O'Neill. I hope to have the next chapter up soon, and I promise that the following chapter will be much more interesting and exciting than the little thing that this chapter has ended up being.

Anyway, as always, reviews and constructive criticism and ideas are great. If anyone has any character issues, please let me know ASAP, seeing as how out of character characters always make me want to scream (therefore I have nightmares about my own stories being OOC...not really, but you get the idea).

Hope you enjoy...

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Chapter 4: The Healing of a Shattered Soul

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Daniel looked around as the door to the lab slid open. The limp form of one of his best friends was dragged through the opening, her head hanging dejectedly. She didn't even struggle as she was lifted and laid back onto the table, the cuffs securing themselves around her wrists.

With a slight tremor in his back, he pushed himself off of the cold surface of his own table, looking over the unconscious Jack, attempting to get a good look at Sam. Her face was pale, all of the blood drained out of her features, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Blood stained her neck on both sides, the slight rivulets still trickling minimally.

"Sam?" Daniel asked tentatively as soon as the door closed behind the retreating Jaffa. "Are you okay?" Daniel added as Sam remained silent.

Sam lifted her head and turned it slightly, just enough so that she could meet Daniel's eyes. Her head fell back against the hard surface again, her ear pressed against the cold metal.

"No Daniel, I'm not okay," she finally said, her voice quiet, filled with despair and pain, as well as something else. _Hatred_, Daniel realized after a few seconds of contemplation.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice calm and soothing.

Sam merely shook her head, turning her face away from him and staring up at the ceiling. Silence stretched between them and Daniel finally gave up, turning his head back to a more natural position, resting back against the table again.

"He's here." Her voice shattered the oppressive silence, and Daniel's gaze darted to the dejected form of his friend again. He didn't say a word, afraid that, if he spoke, she would stop talking.

"My father," she supplied finally. "He's here. Belenus has him. He's been experimenting on him." Sam's voice caught as she said these words, a strangled sob finally forcing its way out of her throat. "It's bad, Daniel." And then, with that, she fell silent, her mind taking her back to relive whatever scene she had just experienced.

Daniel settled back into the silence, closing his eyes and breathing steadily, attempting to calm his trembling body.

"What happened to you two?" Sam said, her voice a bit steadier than before, once again breaking the silence. "You two both look distinctly worse off than when I left."

Daniel snorted in affirmation. "After you were taken out, Belenus decided to continue with his experiments on us. I think he was testing to see what caused our adrenaline to spike, and the levels they could reach and such. He started with Jack," Daniel said, looking at the still unconscious form of the colonel. "Blunt trauma," he explained, answering Sam's unspoken question. "Knocked him unconscious."

"And you?" Sam asked, her voice still holding a slight tremor. But Daniel could tell that she was, once again, getting her feelings and emotions under control, slipping back behind the soldier mask that she always wore.

Daniel laughed sardonically. "Electrocution."

Sam winced, her eyes darting to meet Daniel's. They looked much more like themselves than they had a moment ago, Daniel noted, although they were still haunted, and there continued to be something off in their crystal blue depths.

A moan brought both of their attentions to the man lying between them. Jack opened his eyes, blinking to clear the fog that clouded them. "Aahgg…" he grumbled, moving his head and immediately wincing.

"You probably shouldn't move around too much, sir," Sam informed the older man. "You don't know what damage was done when you were knocked out."

"So Daniel told about what happened?" Jack asked, his voice distinctively quieter than his usual brazen tone, indicating that he was sound sensitive.

"Yes sir," Sam said sympathetically.

"So what happened to you?" Jack asked, missing Daniel's warning glare.

Sam immediately fell silent, withdrawing yet again from the world around her again. The silence stretched out, and Jack began to get a strange expression on his face: a mix of anger and fear.

"Carter," he snapped, wincing as his voice filled the room, the sound waves rebounding off of the wall and hitting his sensitive ears.

"It's Jacob, Jack. He's being held prisoner and being used as a test subject," Daniel said hurriedly, answering for Sam. Jack looked taken aback, then a look of relief crossed his face for an instant. He relaxed, clearly preferring Jacob being a prisoner to whatever it was he had feared Sam had been implying.

"Oh," was all he said, then looked over at Carter who was staring, once again, at the ceiling. It was obvious something else had happened that she hadn't told them. For one thing, she hadn't explained about the blood drying in crusts on her neck, the collar of her black shirt stiffening as the liquid dried.

"Look, Carter…we're gonna get out of this," Jack assured his 2IC. "And we're gonna bring your father with us."

She only nodded mutely, her eyes still fixed on the beam above her.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

"Sam," Daniel began, looking over at her intently. It had been at least an hour since Jack had awoken, and Daniel was becoming increasingly worried about his friend. She had become silent, only speaking when it became mandatory, electing to stare at the ceiling for the majority of the time.

The blonde Air Force major looked over at her friend, her eyes haunted. "What do you want Daniel?" she asked softly.

"I think you need to tell us what happened in there," Daniel said resolutely, hating himself for asking it of her, seeing whatever it was that they had done to her had traumatized her, and yet knowing that it was necessary.

"Daniel," Sam begged, her voice soft, "I really don't want to talk about it."

Daniel coughed a little, then said, "Yeah, I know…but Sam…"

Sam sighed, looking at the silently listening Colonel. He gave her an encouraging smile, silently urging her to speak. Beyond him, Daniel watched his friend with a concerned look.

The sound of Sam's head hitting the table echoed through the room. She sighed again, and then silence descended on the small group.

Daniel let the silence continue for a few more minutes, then once again opened his mouth to press for answers.

"As I said, my father is here," Sam said, her voice soft and husky, the pain still evident in it. "The Jaffa brought me to a room much like this one. After a while, Belenus came, then called for the Jaffa to bring my father as well."

Sam stopped, swallowing and taking a deep breath.

"They tied him to the table, leaving me free. He was unconscious at first," she continued, closing her eyes. "When I went over to him, I could see just how badly injured he was. Even Selmak can't do everything, can't seem to quite keep up with it all. That's when I tried to attack Belenus then," Sam said, a strange note in her tone. Daniel heard Jack chuckle, could see his eyes dancing with a merry light as Daniel glanced down at the older man. "That didn't work out quite as well as I could have hoped. I was grabbed, and the next thing I knew, Belenus was leaning over me with a needle and syringe. He drew blood from my neck, then cut a lock of hair. He put those in some sort of solution, and injected it into my father."

Silence descended over the three of them yet again. Daniel could feel that this wasn't the entire story, but he didn't want to interrupt Sam.

Finally, she spoke again. "When he woke up, it was like he wasn't himself anymore. When he looked at me…it was almost as if he couldn't see…me," Sam finished, looking at Jack, then at Daniel. "It was like he was seeing some sort of monster."

Pain clouded her eyes, and she turned her head back, staring up at the ceiling.

"We're going to get him out Carter," Jack said, speaking for the first time since Sam had begun speaking. "You have to believe that, along with the fact that he's going to be okay. You know he loves you, that he'd do anything for you."

Sam nodded mutely, still staring forlornly at the ceiling. But Daniel could also see her relaxing slightly, her breathing becoming deeper and steadier.

"I know," she said, this time her voice sounding almost normal.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Daniel picked his head up, craning it to one side so as to see the watch still strapped to his wrist. The gleaming black numbers read _1300_. It had almost been a full day by now, Daniel realized, and dropped his head back to the tabletop, attempting to ease the crick out of his neck.

He looked to his left. Jack had been sleeping soundly ever since Daniel had decided that he wasn't suffering from a concussion, at least not a severe one. Beyond him, Sam had fallen silent again, continuing to stare up at the ceiling above her. The only reason Daniel knew she was still alive was that he could see the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she drew breath.

A wave of depression and hopelessness washed over the archaeologist as he considered his friends. Both of them were injured, although in different ways: Jack physically, Sam emotionally. Although it seemed as if Sam was healing, Daniel knew that it would take time, as well as freeing herself from the bonds holding her down.

The sudden sound of the door opening yet again snapped Daniel out of his brooding, causing him to look behind him. To his surprise, and slight elation, he noted that Sam also looked around her, her facial expression curious yet guarded.

The two Jaffa that entered the room stepped over beside Sam, one of them triggering a latch on the underside of the table. Immediately, the cuffs strapping Sam to the bed were released. With a sudden burst of energy, Daniel saw Sam sit upright, slamming one foot into the face of the nearest Jaffa. He stumbled back, his nose bleeding. She turned to incapacitate the second Jaffa, but he was too fast, moving behind her and grabbing her, wrapping her arms in his. The first Jaffa grabbed her kicking feet, stilling them.

Holding her between them, the two Jaffa exited the room, the one man's nose still bleeding profusely.

That was the last time Daniel would see his friend for many days.


	6. Chapter 5: The Betrayal

**Disclaimer:** (since I have to have one, sadly...) I own nothing except for a few random characters that I have created myself. Everything and everyone else belongs to whoever they belong to, now copyright infringement intended.

**A/N:** I am SOO sorry for not getting this finished sooner. I was busy with life (called vacation), and then I had no internet, and got kinda sick and, well, you get the idea. Anyway, suffice it to say, I was busy as 'Sam when she's supposed to be on leave' for the last week. Anyhow, I hope you enjoy it :)

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Chapter 5: The Betrayal

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Jea'fron was intrigued by Major Samantha Carter of the Tau'ri, once host to Jolinar of Malkshur, daughter of Jacob Carter, current host to Selmak. He shook his head, flipping the sandy blonde bangs out of his hazel eyes, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he thought about the blonde major.

She had been nothing like he had expected her to be from the way his master had spoken of her; instead of being a weak, sniveling damsel that one was always supposed to shelter and protect, it had been her that had attempted to avenge the wrongs done to her father – she had fought her captors. This was something that Jea'fron admired, discarding the fact that the one she had attempted to kill had been Belenus, his master.

And this posed a second, much more unsettling issue – Belenus, his master. Jea'fron narrowed his eyes, breathing shallowly. He knew that he could be executed for even harboring the thoughts that now ran through his head, but he was unable to stem the tide.

"_Always respect women," his mother had instructed him upon learning that he had struck his younger sister for some forgotten offense. "It doesn't matter what they may have done," she said sternly, holding his shoulders tightly, "You always, __always__respect women and treat them kindly and fairly. You should not respect any man that treats women poorly. Do you understand, my son?"_

"_Yes mother," Jea'fron had replied, lowering his eyes in sincere apology for his wrong._

And ever since that day, the young Jaffa had abided by his mother's words, learning to treat every woman with which he had come into contact with kindness and respect and honor. And he had avoided and detested the men that treated women badly.

And here was his own master, his god, torturing and terrorizing this young woman. Jea'fron shivered slightly, his mind and spirit battling. He suddenly stilled his nervous movements as the sound of two Jaffa marching up the corridor drew his attention.

Jea'fron triggered the door to the lab, opening it for the two men that appeared around the corner, carrying a limp Samantha between them. A fine trickle of blood dribbled down from above her ear.

"What happened?" Jea'fron asked red-headed, brown eyed Hak'tien and green eyed Vint'al, whose mop of jet black hair hung in a mess, as the two dropped their burden on the stone floor.

Hak'tien stood, spinning to face Jea'fron. "The little bitch kicked me in the nose," he said, his voice sounding thick and rather nasal as blood continued to sheet from his clearly broken nose.

"That doesn't explain how she ended up unconscious," Jea'fron pointed out.

Vint'al snorted. "Oh yeah, you and your courtesy for woman," he scoffed, laughed scornfully. "Trying to protect the lab rat? Well, the little slut decided to try to get away. Actually managed to break free of our hold," he informed Jea'fron, a dangerous gleam entering his eye. With a sudden move, the dark haired Jaffa kicked the unconscious Sam viciously in the ribs.

"Hey!" barked Jea'fron. "You know Lord Belenus instructed her to be intact and whole," he added quickly, his tone savage as his anger rose.

Vint'al shrugged, saying innocently, "I'll just say it happened when I slammed her against the wall to keep her from escaping."

"I take it that's how her head got split open too?" sighed Jea'fron, his voice ripe with displeasure.

Hak'tien laughed. "You got that right," he said, his voice dark with some strange emotion.

"I'll take it from here," Jea'fron said abruptly, straightening and turning away from watching the helpless woman on the floor, who curled into the fetal position to protect her ribs, to face the other two. "Go collect the Tok'ra," he instructed.

The two Jaffa grumbled, obviously displeased with the younger man dismissing them, but complied, retreating out of the room. Jea'fron closed the door, glancing quickly out into the hallway to ensure that there was no one coming before sliding the metal shut.

With a few quick movements, Jea'fron was kneeling beside Sam, one hand lifting the hair that was beginning to mat from the blood trickling from the jagged cut in her scalp.

She jerked, her eyes snapping open. Before he could react, Jea'fron felt a stabbing pain shoot up from his gut, doubling over from the force of a booted foot slamming into his stomach. He gasped for breath, looking up in time to see Samantha darting away from him, pulling herself to her feet, her blue eyes cold and merciless as they regarded him with wary anger.

"What do you want from me?" she asked sharply, sinking down into a threatening crouch, her hands held at her sides in a threatening position.

Jea'fron shook his head mutely, his lungs still not wanting to cooperate, looking up at the woman standing above him, attempting to tell her that this wasn't what he had wanted. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," he finally managed to wheeze out, coughing slightly as he did.

Samantha cocked her head, regarding him. "Then what were you doing?" she asked, her tone only minimally softer.

"I was just checking to see the extent of your head injury," Jea'fron informed her. "Also, how are your ribs?"

A strange look crossed Sam's face. "Uh…" she stammered, then suddenly winced, moving an arm to cradle her left side. "What happened?" she asked, her voice once again biting.

Jea'fron smiled slightly, realizing that this woman was more of a warrior than he had originally thought – it took a great warrior to not even realize that he was injured until it was pointed out. Jea'fron nodded, showing his respect for the woman glaring down at him.

"I witnessed a fellow Jaffa kicking you," Jea'fron admitted, bowing his head. "I am sorry I was not able to stop the blow from landing."

"Uh…" Sam stammered again, obviously taken aback by the strange attitude of this young Jaffa. "You would have tried to?" she asked, her incredulity showing through.

Jea'fron nodded. "Of course," he said. He opened his mouth to say something else when he heard the telltale tramping of boots coming up the hallway.

With a sudden burst of energy, Jea'fron stood, moving swiftly to his position by the door. He shot a warning look at Samantha, hoping that she would be able to interpret his message.

Sam caught the sharp look that the sandy haired Jaffa sent her way, nodding once to show that she understood that she was to not show any connection with him. Then, the door to the lab slid open, the two Jaffa that had escorted her carrying the bound form of her father, a sack placed over his head.

She took a swift, shallow breath, wincing as her ribs protested. In the rush of adrenaline that had followed her awakening to see the hazel eyed Jaffa leaning over her, Sam hadn't even registered the fact that she had been injured; at least, not until the man asked her about it pointedly.

To her surprise, she had seen something akin to respect flicker through the young man's eyes as she had instinctively moved an arm to support her clearly cracked ribs. Sam closed her eyes, attempting to dispel the thoughts that were currently only serving to give her a pounding headache on top of her already throbbing skull from the blow she had received to the head.

The two Jaffa carrying Jacob shoved him into a chai, wrenching his hands behind him and the back of the chair. The clinking of metal alerted Sam to the chains being secured around his wrists, and she grimaced. Her father being chained to the chair would make everything that much more difficult when it came time for them to escape.

Their task finished, the two Jaffa that had brought her to the lab looked up, staring at her maliciously. She stared back at them defiantly, rising up to stand at her full height. The Jaffa with black hair that stuck up in tufts and spikes looked at the other one, and they both smirked.

A chill raced up Carter's spine as she realized that whatever it was they had decided, it did not bode well for her. She shifted again, readying herself for an attack.

"Hey, what are you two doing?" the hazel eyed Jaffa by the door called out.

"Stay out of this Jea'fron," the ginger snapped, his eyes gleaming as his nose began to bleed again. "We just have to make sure she doesn't escape again," he growled.

Sam lashed out at the nearest Jaffa, the one with the black hair, slamming her foot into his knee. He stumbled with a small cry, but she hadn't gotten the proper leverage on her kick to shatter his kneecap. She spun to drive the other Jaffa back, but she had forgotten about her busted ribs.

They gave an angry burst of pain, sending her gasping and stumbling to the side as she lost control of her momentum. The red-haired man grabbed her, spinning her and wrenching both her arms behind her back, pulling them up until her shoulders shrieked with pain.

She hung in his arms, standing on her toes to ease some of the pressure on both her shoulders and her ribs. The man whose knee she had kicked stalked up, slamming his clenched fist into her stomach.

Sam recoiled, forced back by the power of the blow. His other fist connected with her jaw, causing her teeth to clack together and her head to whip to the side. He had just kneed her in the stomach, driving the sharp bone up against her broken ribs, when the Jaffa named Jea'fron stepped forward.

"Vint'al, that's enough," he said indignantly, addressing them man hitting her. "Stop it."

Carter was released, shoved forward as she was. She fell to the floor, breaking the fall with her arms so as to not exacerbate her injuries. Vint'al reached down and grabbed her by the collar, hauling her to her feet. She was forced into a chair much like her father's, her arms pulled behind her and metal cuffs being fastened around them as well.

She slumped against the back of the chair, her jaw aching and her ribs sending shooting stabs of pain throughout her torso whenever she drew breath. Her head pounded and the cut above her ear stung painfully. Her stomach roiled, unhappy with the harsh treatment she had received.

While her body rested, her mind was working furiously. She had been surprised when the Jaffa named Jea'fron had stopped her beating. In a strange way, he almost reminded her of Teal'c who had a strong sense of justice, loyalty, and fairness. She had met few other Jaffa like him, but as she thought about it, she realized that there were surely others like him in the galaxy. Sam just hoped Jea'fron was one of them.

Vint'al and the other Jaffa had just stood up, moving away from her, when the door slid open yet again. Belenus stalked in, the loose robe that he wore over his black tunic billowing as he moved with sharp, precise steps. His eyes rested briefly on Sam, before they snapped to the Jaffa.

"Hak'tien, tell me what happened," the Goa'uld ordered. "I commanded that she not be harmed."

"I am sorry, my lord," the red head said, bowing his head in humble supplication. "She attempted to escape from us. Her injuries are a result of us stopping her." His eyes flickered up to Jea'fron, who was still standing by the door, almost as if he was daring the young Jaffa to contradict his story. Jea'fron's sense of loyalty to his own kind, however, seemed to be stronger than the urge to reveal the truth behind her injuries; he said nothing.

"I see," Belenus mused, his eyes traveling around the room. He sighed, settling himself on a third chair; one, Sam couldn't help but notice, was much more comfortable than the ones that she and her father were strapped to.

"Take off his hood," Belenus said casually, flicking a hand toward Jacob. Hak'tien, now the picture of submission, moved over and jerked off the rough sack that had been covering Jacob's head.

The older man blinked, raising his head lucidly. He attempted to focus on his surroundings, but his eyes kept glazing over. After only a few seconds, his head sunk down until his chin rested on his chest.

"What's wrong with him?" Carter asked, her tone biting. Belenus merely smiled coyly at her.

"You'll find out," he answered cryptically. "Revive him," Belenus ordered Vint'al.

The Jaffa crossed the floor, stopping by a counter on the far side of the lab. He picked up a needle, pressing down on the syringe. A thing stream of clear liquid spurted from the end, and the young man crossed the room, kneeling beside Jacob. Vint'al inserted the shining needle into Jacob's arm, injecting the Tok'ra with the solution in the tube.

Withdrawing the needle quickly, Vint'al stood, returning the used syringe to the counter. Jacob slowly began to come awake, his eyes focusing a little bit better than the previous moment, his breathing a little deeper and a lot less labored.

Sam watched her father with a worried fascination. The remnants of his injuries shone through the tears in his clothes as shiny new skin and the pink tint to freshly repaired tissue. Sam could only assume that Belenus had a sarcophagus and had used it on him, healing the man and the Tok'ra.

And yet, this worried Sam. When she had first seen him, it had appeared that the Goa'uld had refrained from healing her father at all. And yet now, only after bringing Sam into the mix and taking her hair and blood, had Belenus healed Jacob/Selmak. The whole incident in the lab the previous time continued to bother Sam as well. She felt as if she was missing something, as if she should be putting something together. There was a niggling doubt in the back of her mind, an unspoken fear that continued to consume her.

Jacob had only just picked his head up again, his eyes darting around in haste, when Sam heard something echoing down the hallway outside of the lab. She smiled, looking up and into Belenus' fair features. That sound could only mean one thing: a rescue team had come from the SGC. For, although the sound of P90s firing was distinct, and Sam would know it anywhere.

The door slid open yet again. Jea'fron moved to block the opening, but moved aside almost immediately, admitting an older, graying Jaffa.

"My lord," he said, addressing Belenus and kneeling, "The Tau'ri have mounted an attack. We are holding them at bay, but they managed to catch us off guard and have already managed to take out a significant number of the troops." The man looked up from his kneeling position. "What does my lord command?" he queried.

Belenus, his face draining of blood, stood quickly. He glanced at Sam and then her father, then back to the door. The sound of fighting drew closer, and Belenus strode out of the room, calling orders over his shoulder.

"Vint'al, Hak'tien, guard the prisoners. Ubra'fen and Jea'fron attend me," he snapped, striding through the door. The old man and Jea'fron left hurriedly, the younger Jaffa glancing back, a crease between his eyebrows. Sam wasn't entirely sure what to make of her last glimpse of the sandy haired Jaffa, and for some reason, hoped it would not be her last.

Vint'al and Hak'tien took up places by the door, their bodies tense as they fingered the Zat'nik'tels that were strapped to their right legs. They shifted nervously as the din of weapons fire reseeded into a dull throb.

They waited in a tense silence, the feeling of calm being that of the calm before the hurricane. Carter twisted her hands, trying to find some way to break out of the restraints but, like the ones that had bolted her to the table; she could find nothing with which to trigger the cuffs to open.

The door slid open nearly silently. Sam looked up, her eyes flashing as she expected to see Belenus. Instead, Carter watched as Jea'fron swept into the room, his eyes flickering between her and her father and the two guards.

"Lord Belenus instructed that I return for the prisoners and instruct you two to join the battle front," he said, his voice louder than normal. Hak'tien and Vint'al hesitated, and Jea'fron raised his eyebrows. "Do you want to be the one to explain why he was not able to leave this base because you would not abide by his commands? I thought not," he added as he saw Hak'tien shift nervously.

"Now go," Jea'fron urged, watching the two nearly run from the room beofre hurrying to kneel behind Sam's chair. She watched as the other two retreated from the lab, drawing their weapons as their metal-clad feet slammed into the ground.

"We must hurry," Jea'fron whispered in her ear as he unclasped the metal cuffs binding Sam to the stool. He helped her upright, then hurried to free her father as well.

As soon as the chains fell away from her father's wrists, Carter debated about rendering the Jaffa unconscious. She tensed, preparing to deliver the stunning blow to his head when he spoke.

"I can bring you to where your other friends are being held," he said hurriedly.

"And why should I trust you?" Sam snapped.

Jea'fron's eyes were wide as he looked up at her, lifting one of Jacob's arms around his shoulder. "Because you're going to have to," he said innocently. "If you don't, you're not going to be able to make it to the lab until after they have already freed your other friends, which will put you behind them. Add that to the fact that you don't know your way around the base, and you'll be in for a spot of bother. Plus, you run the very probable risk of being found and captured again. However, if I am with you, then I can always say I am escorting you." He shrugged. "Either way, we have to hurry."

Carter thought about it, weighing the risks and benefits. In truth, she knew that the others would come to find her, but her only worry was exactly _how long_ that was going to take. She glanced at her father, who was practically being held upright by the Jaffa, and in that instant, she decided what she had to do.

"Give me your zat," Sam instructed. When the young Jaffa hesitated, Sam said, "If you want me to trust you, then trust me. Besides, how will you fight if you are carrying my father?"

Reluctantly, Jea'fron nodded, realizing the wisdom in her statement, and unhooking the zat and tossing it to the Tau'ri woman. She caught it and armed it before turning to the door.

"Just don't get seen with it. Remember, I'm supposed to be transporting two prisoners," he called out after her.

He followed her out of the lab, supporting the majority of the Tok'ra's weight. He had one arm underneath the older man's arms, lifting him up, his left hand holding Jacob's wrist. The drugged Tok'ra could only partially support his weight and he stumbled along, barely able to move his feet to keep up with his daughter and the Jaffa aiding him.

Sam was in the front, the Zat that she held hidden between her arm and torso as she clutched her chest. If any Jaffa came around a corner, they would find themselves face to face with an irate and vengeful woman; Major Samantha Carter was thoroughly pissed, tired, and in pain – not a good combination.

For Sam, every step was a battle in and of itself. Every time either of her feet took her weight, her ribs shrieked in pain, and her headache intensified. She was still nauseous, courtesy of Vint'al, and every now and then, the world tilted around her crazily.

They were nearing a fork of the passage that Sam thought she remembered, when a sudden smashing sound echoed through the corridor, quickly followed by the fain thumping sound of a body hitting the floor. Sam whirled, pulling the Zat out of its hiding place and training unerringly at the lone figure standing behind her.

"Sam?" the figure asked, stepping forward into the light shed by a gleaming light source.

"Dad? Oh thank goodness," she answered, relief washing over her as she closed the distance between them and wrapping him in a hug, ignoring the complaint of her ribs. "I was afraid that whatever they had given you was permanent."

"No," Jacob told her gently. "I was gaining my strength while waiting for the opportune moment to take the Jaffa out," he explained.

"He was helping us," Sam told him. Jacob looked mildly surprised, but then shrugged.

"Oops," he said matter-of-factly. "Oh well," he snorted.

"Let's go," Sam said urgently, realizing that she couldn't hear any of the distant sounds of battle.

"One last thing, first," Jacob said, reaching out to hug Sam again.

She welcomed his embrace, reveling in his warmth and the sheer joy and relief brought by the fact that they hadn't permanently hurt him filling her entire mind, body, and soul.

"I'm glad you're ok," she said quietly to her father. "Now we can go home."

"Not quite yet," he whispered in her ear, and the next thing she knew, bright lights were exploding behind her eyes, and she was sinking into the shadowy depths of unconsciousness.


	7. Chapter 6: A Change of Heart

**Disclaimer:** Still not mine. What a shocker there (since I just said it wasn't mine like *checks watch* a minute and a half ago). Jea'fron is mine (YAY!) Now I just hope I don't have to kill him. All characters, places, and ideas belong to their respective owners.

**A/N:** Ok, so I felt really bad about not updating for so long. So I went ahead and wrote chapter 6 while in the car too. And am now posting it. Because I love all of you guys, and want to make it up to you. Hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 6: A Change of Heart

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Jea'fron awoke slowly, fighting his way free of the tangling tendrils of darkness. He was first aware of the fact that he was laying on something hard and cold; likely the floor. This didn't make any sense at all, seeing as he didn't even have guard duty at all this week. The second thing that he noticed was that his head hurt; his entire forehead throbbed, the pain radiating from a very tender spot on his right temple.

The Jaffa sat up slowly, blinking as stars popped in his vision. He looked around himself, trying to make sense of the scene before him.

He was sitting in the midst of one of the main corridors in Lord Belenus' primary base. The lights were all lit, and the faint smell of smoke and blood filled the air. The hall was deathly silent, not a single thing moving except for him.

Where was Hak'tien or Vint'al. Or even Lord Belenus?

And then, it all came crashing back as if the floodgates of a dam had been released.

"_Vint'al, Hak'tien, guard the prisoners. Ubra'fen and Jea'fron attend me."_

_Jea'fron had hurried after his master, walking only slightly behind the older First Prime. The sounds of fighting echoed through the hallways, pumping Jea'fron full of adrenaline. He had expected to turn towards the battle, but they had, instead, continued straight._

_The finally stopped outside of Belenus' personal quarters. "Hold the door," he had commanded before opening the door and sweeping inside. _

_The two warriors left outside nodded at each other and took up sentry positions on either side of the door. Ubra'fen had his staff weapon, Jea'fron only his Zat'nik'tel. They both armed their weapons, awaiting an attack._

_It was not long in coming. After hardly enough time to prepare themselves for a fight, the telltale rattle of Tau'ri weapons was drawing nigh. They only had a second's warning before the first man exploded around the corner, opening fire immediately upon seeing the two Jaffa. _

_The flying projectiles slammed into the door to Jea'fron's right and he ducked away from the missiles, ensconcing himself behind a pillar. Ubra'fen was not so lucky, however._

_The second person to round the corner also opened fire, dropping to one knee as he sighted through the small piece of transparent material atop his metal weapon. Sparks flew as the flying pieces of metal embedded themselves in the First Prime's chest, punching through the metal armor. Ubra'fen fell, blood pooling out of the jagged holes torn in his chest. The light of life died from his eyes, and Jea'fron threw himself into action._

_As he rounded the corner of the pillar, Jea'fron opened fire, hitting one of the men with the undulating energy beam fired from his Zat'nik'tel. As he passed, he grabbed the staff weapon from the limp hand of his former teacher._

_He turned once, quickly, firing the weapon haphazardly over his shoulder. To his surprise, he heard the sound of the energy blast hitting flesh and the agonized cry of a man in pain._

_Taking the chance, Jea'fron threw himself toward the door, hitting the control pannel beside the opening. The door slid open and Jea'fron dove inside, tucking and rolling as he hit the floor. He reached up frantically, triggering the door to shut._

_He stood shakily, searching for his god._

_The room was empty._

Jea'fron shook silently, a fresh wave of anger coursing through him. His god had abandoned them, had caused the death of his First Prime and risked Jea'fron's life as well. He had abandoned his people, who had desperately needed his guidance and strength under the onslaught of the Tau'ri forces.

And his _god_ had abandoned them.

_No true god would do that,_ Jea'fron remembered thinking. And that had been the moment he had forsaken his beliefs, deciding that he would rather die fighting against lies and slavery rather than hide in fear behind a façade.

He had helped Samantha Carter and her father, Jacob Carter, escape from their holding. And then? Jea'fron strained his memory to remember what had happened just before the darkness had claimed him.

_Jea'fron was still practically carrying the Tok'ra, supporting nearly all of his weight. Then, suddenly, the man had seemed to come alive, rising up and slamming his clenched fist into Jea'fron's temple._

_Jea'fron had let go, falling to the floor, unconscious before he hit the ground._

"No," whispered Jea'fron, worry flooding through him. He got up, looking up and down the corridor frantically. "No!" he said again, this time louder and more forcefully.

He began a frantic run down the hallway, then stopped, not entirely sure which way to begin looking for them.

If Samantha and her father were no longer on the base, then this was bad. Very, _very_ bad, in fact.

The sound of boots tramping up the corridor halted Jea'fron for a moment. He looked around for someplace in which to hide, but he was too late.

A large, dark-skinned Jaffa, an older man with silvering hair and lively brown eyes, and a shorter, skinny young man with glasses that framed sparkling blue eyes, walked around the corner, the two Tau'ri were armed with their own kind of weapons, while the Jaffa was holding a staff weapon. Jea'fron recognized the two Tau'ri as the two prisoners that had been taken along with Samantha, but the Jaffa he did not recognize, at least not at first.

Jea'fron raised his hands, showing that he was unarmed. "Do not shoot," he said hurriedly. "I have knowledge that I think you will want to hear." The silence of the group encouraged him. "Samantha Carter and her father have disappeared. I was attempting to bring them to you, aid them in reaching you safely, when I was attacked by the father. He rendered me unconscious. When I awoke, I was alone in the hallway. I am afraid that he has taken her and left the base."

The silver haired man and the man with glasses glanced at each other, sharing a look.

The older man shook his head, looking back at Jea'fron, a slight smirk twisting his lips. "See, now we know you're lying. Jacob would _never_ kidnap his own daughter."

Jea'fron attempted to open his mouth to explain the situation further, but the man cut him off. "You are a Jaffa, and Jaffa are always trying to find ways to suck up to their snakehead of a master. I highly doubt you are any different," he snorted.

"I serve no false god," spat Jea'fron. "They are falsehoods, gaining loyalty from their servants by pretending to be gods."

The dark Jaffa spoke up for the first time. "You are of the Free Jaffa?" he asked, his tone deep and rich.

"The Free Jaffa?" Jea'fron asked, slightly bewildered. And then he remembered the stories, told by fellow Jaffa that had been working out in the field, about a group of rebel Jaffa that had forsaken their gods and renounced their loyalty to them. The entire movement had been started by the former First Prime of Apophis, who had defected to join the Tau'ri, a Jaffa named-

"Teal'c?" Jea'fron asked tentatively. "Are you Teal'c, who works with the Tau'ri and began the rebellion?"

Teal'c nodded, the golden emblem seared onto his forehead catching and refracting the light that illuminated the corridor. "I am," he answered.

"Then I would like to join the Free Jaffa," Jea'fron said hurriedly, momentarily forgetting everything else. "Can I?" he begged, temporarily the mere boy he still, truly, was. "I have forsaken Belenus, renouncing the fact that he, and all the others like him, are gods."

Teal'c nodded a second time. "Any Jaffa may join the ranks of the Jaffa Rebellion if they are willing to die fighting for freedom."

"So if you're joining the Jaffa Rebellion, then _help us out_," snapped the older man, who seemed to be the leader. "Where is Carter?" he asked, his tone dark and slightly menacing.

Jea'fron shrugged his shoulders, taking in a deep breath. "Like I said, I'm not sure. When I awoke, neither she nor her father were in the hallway. I am sorry to be the harbinger of doom, but I don't think she's going to be in the base any longer. Which means she's in trouble," he said, his voice becoming quieter and quieter.

"And why is that?" the man with glasses asked.

Jea'fron shifted from one foot to the other nervously. "I don't know exactly what causes it, but there's something that makes one go…crazy. Belenus was working on something to be used as an assassination technique. He would cause the person meant as the assassin to go insane and kill his target, while not affecting the assassin's temperament towards anyone else. I-I'm afraid that Belenus was testing his latest prototype on Samantha and her father."

"So you're saying that Jacob is going to try to kill Carter?" the silver-haired man asked, his tone dead and his eyes strangely empty of emotion. Jea'fron could only nod.

The man turned and punched the wall, splitting open his knuckles, before sinking to the ground, his head between his hands. "Dammit," he whispered.

"We have to find them and stop Jacob from doing something we'll all regret. How much time until he kills her?" the man with glasses asked,

Yet again, Jea'fron shrugged. "I honestly don't know. It depends on how he goes about killing her. It could be anywhere from a few minutes to days."

"Then we can assume that he will fight against this insanity, and attempt to keep his daughter alive for as long as possible," Teal'c said solemnly. "We will find them," he assured the other two.

"We have to," the bespectacled man said quietly.


	8. Chapter 7: Hate's Curse

**Disclaimer:** All rights reserved to those with the rights to Stargate. I own no part of it, and stake no claim to it. No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N:** Yes, I realize that it seems I have dropped off of the planet. This, sadly, is not true. Thankfully, I am not only back from vacation, but I also have internet again! (YAYAYAY!) So let us celebrate that with balloons, cake, and, of course, a new chapter! An extra imaginary cookie to you if you review ;) THANKS

Oh, and in case you're interested, I believe there shall be TWO more chapters, and then an Epilogue. Enjoy!

Ohhhh yeah and violence and language warning for this chapter. There's one MAJOR cuss word along with a number of other, less abrasive words.

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Chapter 7: Hate's Love

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Sam woke slowly, clawing her way free of the shackles of darkness that had clamped around her body, holding her in limbo. Her head pounded, lights exploding behind her eyes as she opened them.

_This is getting annoyingly familiar_ she thought morosely as she squeezed her eyes tightly shut again, blocking out the light filtering into the small shack that she had found herself in for a split instant. She slowly opened her eyes, lifting her head as she did so.

As she had gathered, she was lying in a small, wooden shack, with cracks in between the boards that formed the roof and walls of the hut. The floor was bare earth; cold and damp against her body which was pressing into it. Gray light shone into the hut, illuminating her prison in a half-hearted light, giving her just enough light to make out the murky shadows in the corners.

Strangely, she was not bound, although she realized that her feet were bare, her boots and socks having been removed, as was her belt which, she realized upon inflection, had a heavy, metal buckle. Without her boots, she would also be able to inflict only minimal damage with kicks. Whoever had her as a prisoner now knew what they were doing, although the lack of bonds confused her.

A figure unfolded itself from against the opposite wall, its stocky form hidden in the shadows. It moved closer, and with a shock of surprise, Sam recognized who it was. She would recognize the way that man moved from anywhere, even in the midst of a hundred people.

"Dad?" she asked tentatively, pushing herself up into a sitting position. Her chest throbbed dully from where she had been kicked, although her ribs twinged as she twisted to come to rest on her knees.

A booted foot connected with her stomach, sending her crashing into the wall a few feet behind her. Her breath left her lungs with a sudden rush, leaving her gasping on the floor, a small seed sending snaking tendrils of fear out into her heart.

"Dad, what are you doing?" Sam asked, her voice weak as she forced her lungs to once again expand, taking in the much needed oxygen.

"Shut up," the man snapped, backhanding her across the side of her face viciously.

Her head smacked into the floor as his knuckles hit her cheekbone, black whispering on the fringes of her vision. She blinked, forcing her mind and body back under her control, stopping herself from crying out.

Sam picked herself up again, using the wall behind her to help her get to her feet. Jacob, who had stepped back after slapping her, allowed her to gain her feet, although he never ceased watching her. One arm wrapped itself around her chest, hoping to alleviate some of the sharp, stabbing pain that had spread after being kicked a second time.

"Dad, stop," Sam ordered, taking a step forward, reaching out with her free hand to take one of Jacob's.

"You have no right to tell me what to do. You never have, and never will," he added, and moved, faster than Sam could ever remember her father moving.

One booted foot slammed into her knee, forcing a cry of pain out from between clenched teeth as Sam fell to one knee. She barely saw the clenched fist driving inward toward her face in her peripheral vision, and reacted upon instinct. She threw herself backwards, rolling to take herself clear of the man attempting to harm her. Her back hit the wall and she pulled herself to her feet, just in time to knock a second punch away from her face.

He kneed her, knocking the wind out of her already hurting lungs. She doubled over, then slammed her head into his stomach, sending him stumbling back. She followed through with her attack, kicking him in the face, hoping to knock him unconscious. She heard bone snap, and knew she had broken his nose. But he had either seen, or anticipated, her attack, allowing the blow that was sure to land slam into him, all the while loosening his body so that he fell backward with the blow, rolling as he landed.

Sam's foot came to rest on the ground, and she shifted her weight, preparing to launch herself at her father again, this time to ensure that he was knocked unconscious. Her leg buckled, the injured knee unable to support all of her weight, and she stumbled, barely managing to keep herself upright.

Jacob was on her in less than a second, wrapping her in a deadly embrace. He slammed her to the floor, his heavy body pressing hers down, one arm pressing down on her windpipe, the other grasping to get a hold of her free hand, her left hand having been trapped beneath her torso as he had pinned her.

"Dad, please, what's going on?" Sam asked again, bracing herself for another attack. Instead, Jacob, sitting up and placing one knee in the cavity just below her rib cage to keep her on the ground, removed his hand from her throat, threading his fingers through her hair instead.

He didn't answer her, only smiled, a single shaft of light falling across his and his daughter's faces, showing the feral smirk that adorned his features as well as the frightened confusion on Sam's.

"You're going to die here," Jacob told her, his voice low and menacing, gripping her wrist so hard she could feel the blood vessels rupture. She clenched her teeth, determined to not make a sound.

The next thing she saw was blackness.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Jacob Carter stood up, releasing the limp form of his daughter from his tight hold. Her head, which he had just slammed into the ground, fell with a thud to the dirt floor, the scent of fresh blood pervading the air. He couldn't help it if there were pieces of broken stone and forgotten nails mixed in with the dark soil.

He kicked her in the side to ensure that she was truly unconscious, then turned. He went to the far wall, lifting the latch of the door and letting himself out. After closing the door, he picked up the beam lying by the frame. He fitted it into the metal brackets, pulling on the handle to make sure that it was shut tightly. Reassured, he lowered himself to the ground, leaning back against the wall.

It was lucky that his daughter was close to the same size as he, he reflected as he pushed his feet outward, realizing that, if they weren't, then he would be forced to wear uncomfortable shoes. It was either that or none at all.

Jacob rested his head against the faded, worn, wooden slats that formed the walls of the shack, closing his eyes and breathing in the rich, warm, forest scent that filled the air around him.

A little over a month ago, he and Selmak had been sent on a mission. The objective: to help Socran, a fellow Tok'ra, to repair a set of Goa'uld ring transporters. They would then use said rings to transport Tok'ra into the base so they could capture or kill Belenus, as well as have full access to all of his research.

A bit of a forward and brazen attack, for the Tok'ra at least, but Jacob, and Selmak privately agreed, that the Tok'ra were learning more from their allies, the Tau'ri, than they would care to admit.

And so, with Socran's aide, the two had gotten the ring transporters in working condition. Then, while testing them, Socran sent Jacob through the link to the other side. It was then that he was discovered in the Ring Room by Belenus, and was killed instantly for being a traitor. The Goa'uld had sent his Jaffa after the ignorant Jacob, who had been captured mere moments later.

The next thing Jacob could clearly remember was being carried through the nearly abandoned hallways of Belenus' base, a young Jaffa supporting his weight. He could sense his daughter somewhere slightly ahead of them, and something inside of him had awoken, spurring him into action.

With a single blow, Jacob had rendered the Jaffa unconscious, then proceeded to do the same to his daughter. As he caught her slumping form, it was as if the same thing that had awoken inside of him the moment before was morphing into a monster. It roared for her blood, keening for her death.

Jacob, realizing that the corridor was too open and unsafe of a place to finish what he had begun, and retreated to the Ring Room, his daughter's unconscious body in his arms. Remembering the old, mostly destroyed guardhouse standing beside the Ring Platform, Jacob had keyed in the specific commands to the transporter, and was swept away in a rush of blue-white light, surrounded by the curious hum that always accompanied a transport.

Sitting in the gray sunlight, Jacob realized that he had loved the woman once. And at the same moment, Jacob realized that he couldn't remember ever stopping loving her. Yet, whenever her face intruded in on his thoughts, a sudden surge of anger and hatred spiked through his body and he knew, with stunning clarity, that he _would_ kill the woman lying bruised and unconscious in the room behind him.

Deep inside, he could hear Selmak hum in agreement, sounding more like one of her cousins than a true Tok'ra, and yet Jacob hardly even noticed. A strange and sudden feeling overwhelmed him, blinding and deafening him.

_And yet, Selmak, I don't __want__ to kill her_ Jacob told him symbiote, using the voice that the two of them, alone, shared.

Selmak stirred, sending a thought laced with confusion and question instead of words.

_Have you never hated one so much that, without them, your life becomes nothing and meaningless?_ Jacob asked, his eyes fluttering as he awaited her reply.

_No_ Selmak replied. _All those that I despise I despise for good reason. They are ones that must be killed, and quickly, so that none can be harmed further._

_And what about Sam?_ Jacob asked his symbiote, pressing her further. _ Are you saying that she must be killed?_

This caused Selmak to hesitate, considering his words carefully. _No…you are right. I think we should not kill her_ she finally said, her 'tone' thoughtful. _Without her, there will be nothing else to live for._

Jacob nodded, agreeing with her, although he got the strange feeling that Selmak could have perhaps meant it in a different way than he had originally thought she had. He brushed the odd thought away, shoving it into the back of his mind.

_This is the curse of hate. You hate someone so much that they consume you. It is like love,_ Jacob decided; _a frightening, cruel, harsh, sadistic, lethal love._

A feral grin spread slowly across Jacob's face. _But we can make her suffer._

Silently, Selmak howled in agreement.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Sam awoke with a start, the gray light that was shining into the hut that of early afternoon. Sometime during the night, she had awoken, her head pounding even more than before, if that was possible, and her hair matted with blood. An hour later, she had slipped into a light sleep.

A short time after the sun had risen, and then was promptly covered by a thick layer of dark, ominous clouds, Sam had been awoken again, this time by the sound of a Ring Transport being activated. For an instant, she had thought that it was SG-1, but the small flickering flame that had been her hope had been extinguished after she had peered through the cracks in the boards only to find nothing moving outside at all.

Pulling herself upright, Sam had attempted to escape from her prison. The door, unsurprisingly, had been bolted shut, but she hadn't given up. Instead, she inspected the walls of the shack inch my inch, searching for a weak spot in the wood. And yet, although there were numerous cracks in both the walls and the ceiling, none of the boards would give enough for her to pull them apart; and while the floor was bare earth, it was too tightly packed for her to dig her way out. The only result of her attempts were splinters buried beneath her fingernails, her fingertips bleeding fitfully and throbbing whenever she moved them.

She finally sagged against the walls, the rough wood digging into her side painfully. Her head hurt, as did her chest and back, and black was beginning to cloud her vision. Where was the rest of SG-1? Surely Teal'c had managed to rescue them. Jea'fron had seemed to be fairly confident, hadn't he? She couldn't really remember. Couldn't concentrate…what was wrong with her?

The whine of a Ring Transporter brought her back to reality, forcing her eyes open as the door was unbolted. Early morning sunlight hidden by a thick layer of clouds streamed in, aggravating her head even more. She groaned, lifting a hand to shield her sensitive eyes from the piercing light.

"I don't know why I'm doing this," her father said gruffly, kneeling down beside her. Sam looked at him, her face unreadable and her eyes cold. He lifted a water bottle, uncorking it and tilting it back so she could drink. He barely gave her a mouthful, before he was taking it away again, grinning in the cruel way Sam had been learning to dread.

And with that, he was gone, closing the door behind him. Belatedly, Sam realized she should have, once again, attempted to escape. But she realized she never would have managed it; would only have succeeded in getting herself beat up even more than she already was.

Her mind traveled onward, searching for something else to focus on. Where had her father gone? He had returned with water; clean water in a standard military issued canteen. So where had he gotten it? The only answer Sam could come up with was that Jacob had returned to wherever the SGC personnel were settled. And if they were still on the planet, then it was likely that they were looking for her. This filled Sam with a small, flickering grain of hope.

It was the only thing she had to hold onto in her darkening world.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

_Please let this just be a nightmare. Please let this just be some sort of seriously fucked up dream_, Sam prayed, curled onto her side, clenching her hands into tight fists, her eyes closed tightly. And yet, even as she thought the words, she knew she had her answer.

She hurt everywhere; her chest was one mass of throbbing and aching, her back bruised and bleeding. Her torn shirt brushed her welted skin, sending spasms of pain throughout her torso, causing her to bite her lip in agony. Her hair was matted with congealed blood, a cut above her right eye continuing to drip the same red liquid slowly, and whenever she attempted to move her left leg, which was pinned beneath her right, she felt a sharp throb emanate from her right thigh directly above her knee.

He had beaten her, whipped her with her belt like he hadn't since she was eleven. No, she automatically corrected herself, actually worse; her father had never before beaten her until her back was bloody and her ribs were bruised from the impact of the buckle slamming into her flesh repeatedly. And then he had cut her right leg above the knee to ribbons after she had punched him, attempting to render him unconscious so she could escape and get help.

_Sometimes it really sucks to have a father as both an Air Force officer and a Tok'ra_ Sam decided morbidly, continuing to fight the nausea that had been threating to overwhelm her for the past hour.

Her head throbbed dully, and she could feel a numbness beginning to creep over her. She welcomed it, slowing her breathing, forcing it to take on a calm, even pattern. Slowly, the world around her faded, leaving her in a sea of darkness.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

The next few days were a blur to Sam, filled with long periods of blackness and visions of pain brought by her father. Slowly, another feeling began to build up inside of her; one that slowly, day by eternal day, stole her heart, turning it black and bleeding: fear.

Major Samantha Carter had been tortured before, had been pushed to the limit of human capabilities and endurance. And yet never had she experienced anything like she was being forced through now. For this time it was her father that was harming her; it was her own father that was slowly beating her to death, enjoying the pain that his actions brought her.

_What is a father?_ Sam wondered to herself in one of her more lucid moments. _Is it merely the man who sired you?_

No. It was something more profound, much more intimate than that. A father was someone that held their daughter at night, after she had woken screaming from a nightmare; it was the man that could simply sit by his little girl as they gazed up at the stars, speaking of nothing and yet carrying on a conversation; he was the one that would look into his daughter's eyes and tell her he loved her.

Jacob Carter was none of these things, and Major Samantha Carter was afraid of him.

He would give her water once a day, as well as the most undesirable parts from random MREs. Sam wondered where he had gotten the food from, but decided she didn't have the strength or wherewithal to care too much.

And then, one day, the feeling of pain changed. It was no longer merely the kicks and the blows, being whipped with belts or willowy canes, but became, instead a much more intense, chilling pain.

She was kicked awake, blinking in the afternoon sunlight. For the first time, it was sunny outside, a rich, golden light gleaming in through the cracks in the walls. She was too weak to truly care about the blow, only curling around her side as she hit the hard-packed dirt floor on one shoulder. A small gasp escaped her lips before she locked them tightly together.

Jacob knelt beside her, grasping an ear and pulling her head around so he could look into her eyes. He sighed, then said, "It's a shame, really," and then it felt like fire was blossoming over her stomach.

The searing feeling suddenly vanished, and Sam lay on the floor, held tightly in the grips of shock, gasping. She lay flat on her back, her legs stretched out and her arms flopped uselessly on the ground beside her. Jacob lowered the implement again, touching her bare skin through a rip in her t-shirt.

Once again, it felt as if flame was licking at her skin, scorching the tender tissue, before passing down, deeper inside. It felt as if her very innards were on fire, the heat ravaging her entire core. She screamed, grasping at Jacob's hand, attempting to push it away. Her fingers came into contact with a small, smooth, cone shaped object that Jacob was holding. As soon as her fingertips touched the shimmering surface, it felt as if her fingers were being burned. She scrabbled frantically at both his arm and the object until Jacob finally removed the device from her body, grinning down at her sadistically.

He inspected her stomach, his own fingers brushing her skin. She winced as he prodded the bruises that dwelled there, but the last tingling remnants of the burnt feeling were already dissipating, being absorbed by her body.

Cold so severe she thought her skin would split open followed. As she screamed, she vaguely wondered if anyone had ever caused their throats to bleed from sheer amount of yelling.

That was her last thought before the blessed darkness took her yet again.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

_She's getting weaker_ Selmak commented as Jacob stood, pocketing the burn/freeze device.

_So I've noticed_ Jacob replied sarcastically, bolting the door behind him as he left.

_She is going to die soon_ Selmak continued.

_I know_ Jacob replied tersely. He wasn't entirely sure why, but the thought bothered him. True, it would mean that he would no longer have his lab rat, but there seemed to be something else that caused the revulsion that bubbled up in his stomach at the thought of ending her life.

_That was the entire purpose _Selmak grated, addressing his thoughts of killing her.

_I know_ Jacob said again, this time even more crossly. _I know that that's why we kidnapped her; so we could kill her in peace and quiet. But…there's just something not quite right about this._

This caused Selmak to pause for a moment. Finally, she sighed, sending comforting thoughts through their bond to her host.

_Either way, it will all be over soon. She won't be able to survive much longer, regardless of what we do._ Her 'tone' was soft, almost sympathetic and Jacob frowned.

The frown vanished almost at once, however. _At least we'll have time to experiment with a few more devices_ Jacob said, his tone much lighter and more carefree than it had the moment before.

Selmak rumbled in agreement.

The two of them had been raiding Belenus' old base for quite some time now; the Tau'ri had set up a temporary base there while searching for the woman. It had, in truth, been quite easy for Jacob to sneak in and back out, carrying food, water, and after a few successful trips, even some of Belenus' own research and torture devices.

Selmak was indeed very curious about the various implements that they had found in one of Belenus' workrooms, saying that it would be most beneficial to gather as much information about them as possible, due to the fact that many operatives would likely face similar technology in the future.

And so, Jacob swiped a few of the devices, deciding that they would first discover exactly what they did, then how they worked. The days of idly twiddling their thumbs while the woman was unconscious were over.

Jacob sat beside the hut, pulling the torture device apart and scattering the various pieces around him as he and Selmak examined the technology. After only a quarter of an hour, Jacob put the pieces down, grumbling to himself.

_A headache is __not__ what I need right now_ he thought, grinding his teeth. He stood, stretching and cracking his back, then sauntered toward the pile of supplies that he had gathered over the course of the week. He rummaged around in one of the packs for a moment, recognizing the telltale signs of hunger, then stopped.

_We have one MRE left_ he grumped. _This day just keeps getting better and better._

_It's not my fault you eat like a pig_ Selmak said indignantly.

Jacob refrained from retorting that "he sure as hell didn't eat half as much before Selmak came along, so it most certainly _was_ her fault", but stopped himself before the thought actually formed. Selmak, however, seemed to have gotten an idea of where his mind was going, for she chuckled darkly.

_I suppose this means we need to make another supply run_ Selmak said, breaking the silence, all the while thinking longingly of the pile of scattered remains that was once the torture device.

_It'll be here when we get back_ Jacob assured his symbiote, much like he would an anxious five year-old. She sighed melodramatically in reply, but acquiesced with all due grace.

With the nimble fingers of much practice, Jacob keyed the proper coordinates into the control panel, and was swept away by the Ring Transporters as they rose from the earth in a fountain of light.

When the white blue glow died, Jacob found himself in the Transport Room. The first time he had transported back into the base, he had found himself in Belenus' private quarters but, after finding that the SGC personnel were situated closer to the official Transport Room, Jacob had elected to be ringed there instead.

Jacob slunk out of the Transport Room, sticking to the shadows whenever possible. With comfortable ease, he maneuvered the hallways and stairs, only slowing when he reached the sector of the base that the Tau'ri were currently using.

Jacob snuck through the halls, stopping in front of a plain, unmarked door. Looking both ways, Jacob slid his hand over the automatic opener and stole inside as soon as the door was open. He grabbed the supplies that he needed from the piles of essentials, then returned to the corridor outside.

He considered stopping by Belenus' lab to pick up a few more toys, but Selmak reminded him that they still have four more back at the guardhouse. Jacob agreed, and the two of them hurried back to the Transport Room, both anxious to return to their hideout.

_I wish we didn't have to go sneaking around the SGC people like this_ Jacob grumbled.

_I know, but __you__ know that, if they saw you, they would follow you and find Major Carter._

_Which is why I haven't walked right into the camp already_ Jacob shot back. Selmak fell silent and Jacob could only assume that she had lapsed into thinking, something she often did.

They had just entered the Transport Room when, suddenly, Jacob stopped, convinced for an instant that he had heard something. He was completely still, listening with all his might. Selmak lent her aid, but even with the Tok'ra's enhanced senses, Jacob couldn't detect anyone nearby.

He shrugged mentally, keyed in the command specific to bringing them to the guardhouse, and was swept up in the customary column of light.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Out in the hallway, Colonel Jack O'Neill paused, thinking he had heard something in the room nearby. He peered into the darkened chamber, saw nothing, and continued on his way, dismissing the occurrence from his mind altogether.


	9. Chapter 8: The Rescue

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. Never shall be (tear). However, I must admit that I am stealing the characters away to make them play in my own little world. Never fear, I shall return them none the worse-for-wear (mostly anyway).

**A/N: **First of all, thank you to all of you who reviewed last chapter. Life got terribly insane, and I lost track of a bunch of stuff, including replying to all of your reviews. I am terribly sorry for that, and would like to take this time to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to do so.

Not a whole lot to say about this chapter. We're getting close to the end, though! Read, review, and enjoy :) All those who tell me what they think get a brownie this time.

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Chapter 8: The Rescue

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Colonel O'Neill stalked into the storage room that the SGC personnel had claimed as the Command and Control Center for the duration of their stay on the planet. As the door slid open, an angry voice leaked out into the air around him.

"I'm telling you, there's nowhere else they can possibly be."

"Well, I'm sorry, but we haven't found them yet, and we ascertained that no one had activated the Stargate, and we've had guards on the Ring Transporter ever since we took control of the base." That was Daniel.

"I'm sorry, Doctor Jackson, but we've searched _everywhere _they could even possibly conceivably be."

"Well then there's something we're missing," Jack said, the door closing behind him. Daniel looked up as O'Neill entered, throwing him a confused look. "Hey, I can be diplomatic sometimes," O'Neill countered, although he, too, was rather surprised that he was the one doing damage control for his archeologist friend.

"Listen, Colonel," Jea'fron said, sitting down at the table and folding his arms across his chest. "I am terribly sorry. I've done everything I can; thought of every single place they could be. But we still haven't found them, and I have absolutely _no_ idea where either Major Carter or her father could be." His eyes filled suddenly with remorse and anger, although Jack suspected it was directed toward himself. "I'm sorry," he repeated, and stood, leaving the room with his head bowed.

"For crying out loud, Daniel," O'Neill said, plopping down in the vacated chair, "That guy is the key to finding them before…" Jack's voice died out, his face settling down into a steely mask. "The least you can do is be _nice_ to the poor boy."

"I never thought you'd be the one lecturing me about showing compassion," Daniel said snidely.

"Daniel!" Jack barked. "What the hell has gotten into you lately?"

Silence followed his angry question, Daniel studying the swirling grain of the table without responding. Finally, he spoke.

"Jack, I'm sorry. I'm just worried is all. I know that that's a lame excuse but…" he trailed off.

"We're all worried Daniel," O'Neill said, folding his arms on top of the table. "Trust me, it's not just you." Silence descended again, this time one of two friends taking comfort in each other's presence in a time of fear and confusion. "I swear, everyone in this place is going crazy," O'Neill said, breaking the silence this time.

"What makes you say that?" Daniel asked, suddenly sounding exhausted.

"Well, first of all there's you, getting mad and me having to mend bridges and keep you from beating our newest Jaffa friend over the head with something heavy." Daniel opened his mouth to object, but then fell silent, his brows creasing. "Then, there's the whole thing with Griff telling me supplies are missing from our stockpiles. I keep telling him that's impossible, but almost every day for the last four days he comes to me with another list of things missing," Jack continued. "Then there's me. Just now I could've sworn that I heard the Ring Transport activate while I was walking by the Transport Room."

Just as he was finishing up with his explanation, the door swung open once again and Jea'fron entered, closely followed by Teal'c.

"Doctor Jackson, I'm terribly sorry for earlier…" Jea'fron said before trailing off, O'Neill's words sinking in. "You said you believed you heard the Ring Transport activate?" he asked the colonel.

"Yeah, but that's impossible, because I didn't get a report from Pierce saying that they activated."

The room went deathly still as Jea'fron's face suddenly went white, his eyes widening.

"I think I know where they are," he said quietly, looking around at the others. "That was the entire reason Jacob Carter and Selmak were here in the first place," the young Jaffa explained. "They were aiding another Tok'ra to repair a damaged Ring Platform at the old base. They had just managed to complete the repairs when Socran, the other Tok'ra, was killed, and Selmak was captured."

"Well can you get us through to the other side?" O'Neill demanded, standing, adrenaline beginning to work its way into his body.

"I believe so, just give me a few minutes."

"Good. Daniel, go with him. Teal'c and I will get geared up and bring your equipment to the Transport Room. Radio when you get it," O'Neill ordered.

"Okay," Daniel said, his voice suddenly lighter than it had been in days, getting to his feet as well and following Jea'fron out of the room and down the hallway. Behind him, he could hear Jack and Teal'c leave in the opposite direction, going to grab their gear.

"Listen, Jea'fron, I should be the one to apologize about earlier," Daniel said ashamedly, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "I shouldn't have exploded at you like that."

"It is fine Daniel Jackson," Jea'fron said, looking over his shoulder and grinning at Daniel encouragingly. "I can understand; you are afraid for your friend."

"Yeah," was all Daniel said.

Within moments, the two of them were entering the Transport Room, Jea'fron triggering the lights. A soft glow emanated from sconces on the wall, casting a soothing glow throughout the room.

"I was not with the group that went through to the old site, but I believe I should still be able to get the code right," he told Daniel absently as he knelt by the control panel.

"Cool," Daniel said. "If you need any help, ask. That's what I'm here for."

Daniel stood behind Jea'fron, shifting from foot to foot anxiously, watching him work. Suddenly, the rings burst from their position on the floor, the light sweeping up the set of rings. Daniel ducked down, peering around the corner to make sure no one was there, then grabbed his radio.

"Major Pierce, come in."

"_Major Pierce here, go ahead."_

"Got any Ring activity?" Daniel asked.

"_Negative_," Pierce replied.

"Okay thanks, Daniel out." He pressed the talk button again, saying, "Jack, come in."

"_Go ahead Daniel."_

"We got it."

"_Good. We're on our way. O'Neill out,_" came the reply, and the radio went dead. A moment later, Jack walked through the door, Teal'c hot on his heels.

"Let's go campers," Jack said, taking his place in the center of the Rings. "SG-2 is packing up as we speak."

"You do realize that they might not be there, right?" Daniel asked, doubt suddenly piercing his heart. How many times had they thought that surely this was the right place.

"Yes Daniel, I do realize that. But I don't see the harm in being prepared," O'Neill said, glaring at him.

"Colonel O'Neill, do you not think it prudent that we form a strategy before entering combat?" Teal'c asked, speaking up for the first time.

O'Neill sighed exasperatedly, looking at Jea'fron. "Do you know anything about the layout of the place we're going to?" Jea'fron shook his head. "Alright then. The plan is to go in, find Carter…both of them…and make sure Jacob doesn't kill Carter," Jack looked temporarily taken aback before amending, "I mean, make sure Jacob doesn't kill Sam. If necessary, shoot Jacob, but don't kill him. Just neutralize him so he can't do anything all of us are going to regret later. That work?" he asked Teal'c bitterly. Teal'c bowed his head. "Then can we _go?_" Jack asked, clearly impatient to get going.

Daniel joined the other three at the center of the Ring Transport, Teal'c handing him his gear. He quickly buckled his vest on, accepting his handgun and holstering the Beretta. He also noticed that Teal'c was holding a second staff weapon, presumably meant for Jea'fron.

The younger Jaffa hit the control panel and jumped up, moving over to stand beside Teal'c, who handed him the extra weapon.

With a surge of anticipation, excitement, fear, worry, and adrenaline, the four of them were swept upwards in a flare of blue/white light.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Pain exploded through Sam's head, driving her to her knees. Her hands reached for her temple, clutching her blood soaked head in shaking hands. Bloody welts crisscrossed her arms and palms, black and purple blotches marring her fair features.

Jacob's chilling laugh echoed around the small, enclosed space, the very voice seeming to leech warmth out of the already frigid air. Sam trembled at the sound of his voice, a small, unexplainable sound escaping from her lips: a mix between a whimper, a sob, and a plea. Tremors wracked her crumpled form, causing her to shake uncontrollably.

"No one will ever find you here; surely you realize that by now," Jacob said, stepping out of the shadowed corner where he had been lounging, watching the pain he had been inflicting on his daughter.

The young woman lying on the floor turned over onto her side, staring up at the man whom she had once loved with all her heart towering above her with anger and despair clouding her blue eyes.

"What happened to you?" she asked her thin voice catching. "Da-." The name was cut off as the man savagely kicked her, sending her body crashing into the plywood wall a few feet beyond.

He reached into his pocket, drawing out a short, slightly pointed, metal tipped rod, flicking a switch on the side. The small implement began to hum with power and the metal began to hiss and spark from the electricity coursing through it.

Jacob knelt by the Sam's side, grasping her hair and pulling her upright. With a savage glee foreign to his once benign features, Jacob gently lowered the buzzing metal until it barely brushed the bare skin between Sam's shirt and her neck. Her muscles immediately tensed, the currents of electricity jumping into her.

With an abrupt jerk, Jacob stabbed the dull point into her collarbone, the blunt tip impacting bone.

Sam's scream filled the night sky, the only witnesses to her pain the baleful moon and the ever watching stars.

A sudden, whining sound came from outside of the shack, and Jacob froze, turning to look through the cracks in the walls toward the Rings. They swung upwards, sending dirt flying through the air as they reached for the sky.

Jacob pulled the device out of Sam's collarbone, turning it off and standing, moving to look out the door. Behind him, he could hear Sam's choked sobs. He fingered the other device looped through his belt; the one that, with only one touch to flesh, split the outer layer of skin. He had also found out that it cracked bone in the same. Both of these things he had discovered earlier that night, causing long lacerations on Sam's back, neck, and face and cracking her cheekbone.

He didn't pity the woman lying broken and shaking on the dirt floor behind him. Instead, he worried that she would be taken from him before he had a chance to finish what he was compelled to do.

Jacob turned, pulling the knife from its sheath on his belt, when the Rings activated a second time. Jacob whirled, and saw four figures standing in the area that had just been bathed in bright light.

"Damn," he whispered, stepping over and kneeling beside Sam, his knife rising to hover above her heart.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

The Rings returned to their position in the ground, and O'Neill stepped forward, scanning the area. It was a small clearing, surrounded by the large trees that he remembered from their initial mission. Off to one side, he spotted a larger shape wreathed in shadow.

Jack grabbed Teal'c's arm, pointing toward what appeared to be a hut. Teal'c nodded, motioning for Jea'fron to follow him. The two Jaffa moved towards the shack, circling it. Finally, Teal'c appeared on the other side, returning to Jack's side.

"Colonel O'Neill, there seems to be one door and no safety precautions set in place around the building. This, added to the fact that I neither saw nor heard anything inside, makes me believe that Selmak and Major Carter are not in the shack."

"Maybe we should spread out then. You know, look around a bit," Daniel said quietly, sounding dejected.

"Yeah. Spread out, circle around," O'Neill ordered. He looked over at the shack one last time, sorely tempted to go and see for himself whether or not it was empty. But he trusted Teal'c and his assessment, and began to step away, his gaze sweeping the trees, looking for any signs of movement.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Jacob grabbed Sam's mouth, covering it and holding it shut so she couldn't cry out, and tensed, preparing to plunge the knife into her heart, ending her life. He raised it another inch, then paused as he saw two shadows begin to circle the shack.

Making a snap decision, Jacob flattened himself, gripping Sam's mouth even tighter to make sure she couldn't make a sound, and grabbing her hands so she couldn't strike him. He used one leg to hold her own down, then lay there, completely still and holding his breath.

After a moment, the two shadows left, returning to where the other two were standing.

"Colonel O'Neill, there seems to be one door and no safety precautions set in place around the building. This, added to the fact that I neither saw nor heard anything inside, makes me believe that Selmak and Major Carter are not in the shack."

"Maybe we should spread out then. You know, look around a bit."

"Yeah. Spread out, circle around."

Jacob smiled. They were leaving. Everything was going as perfectly as it could.

And then, things stopped going perfectly.

Sam bucked, attempting to throw him off. Jacob was shocked; he hadn't thought she'd had this amount of strength left in her. His hold on her slipped for a split second, and she took the opportunity, ripping her hands free of his and grabbing his wrist. When she failed to jerk it away, she forced his fingers farther between her teeth, clamping down with all her might.

Cursing quietly, Jacob recoiled, blood dripping from the punctures in his skin.

He lunged forward to silence his daughter, but he was too late. She opened her mouth and screamed, the sound of her voice echoing around the small enclosure before his fist slammed into her forehead once again, cutting off her scream.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

A scream rent the air. Jack froze, turning to look at the shack, his eyes wide. And then he found himself moving toward the hut, horror that that voice only could evoke from his heart racing through his body.

Jack slammed into the door, throwing it open and hurtling into the small, dark room. The flash of a knife as the blade caught the light of a moonbeam drew his attention.

Jacob was crouching beside Carter, one hand dripping blood as he glanced over at O'Neill.

"Jacob!" Jack barked. "Don't do it."

"You don't understand, Jack," Jacob whispered. "I have to."

With that, he struck like a cobra, slicing downward toward Sam who lay in an unconscious heap. Jack leapt forward, tackling the Tok'ra and forcing him away from his 2IC. He felt a jolt as the knife punched through skin, and then he was hitting the ground, dragging Jacob with him. Jack could feel the second Jacob's hands left the knife's hilt, and he responded by reaching up to hit Jacob on the head in an attempt to knock him unconscious.

Vaguely, Jack heard Teal'c, Jea'fron, and Daniel enter the shack, the archeologist racing to Sam's side and dropping to his knees.

"Sam?" he said quietly, reaching out to feel for a pulse. A knife was buried hilt deep in her shoulder, the wound bleeding sluggishly around the blade. For a second, Daniel thought she was gone, but then he felt the faint flutter of a pulse.

The sound of something hard slamming into flesh resonated through the air, and Daniel looked up. To his surprise, he saw Jack fall from Jacob's back, the Tok'ra staggering to his feet. A crazed light was gleaming in his eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I have to," he whispered, then lunged toward Sam.

The blue light of a zat enveloped his body, forcing him to his knees. His mouth locked in a feral snarl, and he lunged forward a second time.

"What do I do?" Jea'fron asked, his voice panicked. "If I shoot him again, he'll die."

O'Neill picked himself up from the floor, looking over. He saw Jacob pull the knife from Sam's shoulder and raise it a second time.

"DANIEL!" Jack bellowed, his vision going dark as he realized what was about to happen.

Daniel reached down to his leg, pulling his handgun from its holster. He raised it, not even thinking about what he was doing, and shot Jacob in the shoulder. The knife fell to the ground with a thud, the force of the bullet sending the older man backwards.

Teal'c moved forward, grabbing Jacob's hands and pulling them behind his back, hitting him sharply in the temple as he did. Jacob slumped in Teal'c's firm grip, the blow knocking him unconscious.

Sensing Teal'c's request before it was spoken, Daniel pulled the zip ties from a pocket in his vest, tossing them to his Jaffa friend.

While Teal'c bound Carter senior, Daniel looked down at Sam again.

Her eyes flickered, then opened. When she saw Daniel, she shrank back, fear flickering across her features.

"Hey, Sam, it's okay. It's just me, Daniel," Daniel said, worry in his voice. "Jack, we have to get her back to the SGC now," he said looking up. Jack knelt beside his 2IC, looking down at her.

"It's okay Carter, just hold on. You'll be under the care of good ol' Doc Fraiser soon." She trembled, but nodded slightly, seeming to find comfort in O'Neill's voice. "Let's go," he barked, slipping his arms underneath Sam's back and knees. He stood, raising her up as he did.

Teal'c picked Jacob up, following O'Neill out of the room, Jea'fron and Daniel behind him. Within a moment, the six of them were standing aboveground again, the trees towering around them. They had transported back to the Ring Room, then up to the Ring Platform nearer to the Gate.

"Sir," Major Pierce said as they arrived. "The rest of SG-2 is waiting at the Gate for you. I take it you got them?" he asked, his voice much softer this time.

"Yeah. C'mon, let's go. We don't have a whole lot of time," O'Neill said, his tone brusque.

Major Pierce fell in with them, glancing surreptitiously at the limp figure in the colonel's arms. He glanced away, appalled by the sight that had met his eyes.

"Colonel O'Neill?" Griff called out as they drew near, raising his flashlight to illuminate the small group that was wending its way through the trees toward the Gate.

"Dial her up, Colonel," O'Neill called out. "We have to get them back to the SGC as soon as possible." Griff nodded to Sands, who moved to the DHD and began to punch in the symbols. The Gate began to spin, the chevrons lighting up and locking into place.

The Gate activated with its flourish, and Sergeant Bell entered the IDC code.

O'Neill mounted the steps, Sam breathing shallowly in his arms. "We're almost home Sam, hang on."


	10. Chapter 9: End of a Nightmare

**Disclaimer:** Stargate SG-1 nor any of the characters or ideas that are part of the franchise are mine in the least. No money was gained from the writing of this story. No copyright infringement intended.

**A/N:** Well I'm, sure getting this one up fast! :) This is the end (well, not quite...cause there's still an epilogue), but I see this as the end of the actual plot. Thank you to everyone who is still reading this, and please tell me what you think. Read, review, but most importantly, enjoy :)

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Chapter 9: End of a Nightmare

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General Hammond was standing at the foot of the ramp, waiting anxiously for the arrival of SG-1 and 2. He desperately hoped that they had managed to find Major Carter and Jacob, although he couldn't understand why they would be leaving the planet to return home if they had not succeeded in finding and rescuing the Major.

The event horizon shimmered tranquilly before shifting, allowing Colonel O'Neill to step through, a limp form lying in his arms.

"Medical team now!" O'Neill yelled, and Dr. Fraiser, who had been immediately summoned when the IDC had been transmitted, came racing into the Gate Room followed by her team.

"Get her on the gurney," the CMO ordered, stepping up onto the ramp to get her first look at her patient. When she saw her friend lying in the colonel's arms, General Hammond saw Dr. Fraiser's face pale, and the knot of worry in his stomach tightened.

O'Neill laid Carter down onto the gurney, and Fraiser immediately jumped up alongside the blonde major, her finger reaching down to check pulse and breathing.

"Let's get her to the CAT scan and the OR," Fraiser ordered, and two of the male nurses began to push the gurney from the room. O'Neill glanced at Hammond, who nodded.

"Debriefing in an hour," he stated, and the Colonel took off after the retreating medical team. Daniel, who had followed O'Neill through the Gate, also looked at the general, who nodded his permission a second time.

Hammond turned his attention back to the Stargate just as Teal'c stepped through, carrying an unconscious Jacob Carter.

"Jacob Carter must be detained," Teal'c informed General Hammond as he stepped off of the ramp.

Hammond nodded. "We assumed as much. Take him to a holding cell." Teal'c bowed slightly, then departed as well, followed by two SFs that General Hammond motioned forward.

SG-2 stepped through last, the Gate shutting off behind them. In their midst strode a young man with sandy blonde hair, his hazel eyes roving around the Gate Room with interest.

"Sir," Colonel Griff announced, snapping to attention in front of the commander of the base. "This is Jea'fron, the Jaffa that aided in the finding and rescue of Major Carter. You gave him permission to return to base with us."

"Yes of course," Hammond replied, extending a hand to shake the young Jaffa's. "It is a pleasure to meet you," he said cordially.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Jack and Daniel soon caught up to the hurrying medical team, ghosting behind them as they worked frantically to stop the bleeding.

"Get me another pad," Daniel heard Janet order, dropping a soaked through bandage beside her. She leaned over to check Sam's pulse again, and said in a barely calm voice, "She's gone into cardiac arrest." She leapt down off of the gurney. "Come on Sam," she pleaded, "fight!"

One of the other nurses handed Fraiser the paddles, and the CMO called, "Clear!" then sent a current through the woman's body.

"We've got a pulse," a third nurse said, and once again they were off.

A door swung open and they pulled the gurney through it, closing it behind them. O'Neill and Daniel stopped on either side of the door, Daniel leaning against the wall while O'Neill tapped his knuckles beside the doorframe.

The door opened and Dr. Fraiser exited the room. She paused when she saw the two members of SG-1 waiting, seeing their worried faces.

"Well, Doc?" O'Neill asked. "She's going to be alright, right?"

"I don't know Colonel. She has severe internal damage as well as external. We'll do what we can, but I can't make you any promises."

And with that, she was gone; hurrying down the hall to do whatever it was she was going to do. Another minute passed by, and then the medical team was wheeling Sam down to the Operating Room.

With unspoken agreement, Daniel and Jack mounted the steps to the Observation Room above the OR where Sam was being operated on, and took firm seats in the chairs waiting. Ten minutes passed, and Teal'c joined them, sitting in a third chair.

Another hour passed, and the door to the Observation Room opened a third time, this time admitting General Hammond.

He paused, looking down at the young woman who had become like a daughter to him, then turned to the other members of SG-1.

"None of you came to the debriefing."

"Wha-?" O'Neill asked, starting and looking up at his CO. "Sorry Sir," he said with uncustomary seriousness and shame. "I just…" he trailed off.

"It's quite alright. I understand," Hammond informed his 2IC, taking a fourth seat and folding his hands on top of the table.

Silence descended once again and it felt as if the entire base was holding its breath, as if all hearts and prayers were focused on one room deep underneath Cheyenne Mountain.

After the second hour, O'Neill lost count of how long they had been sitting vigilance in the room above the OR; the only thing that mattered was that the woman lying on the operating table below pulled through, that she survive.

General Hammond had departed, softly saying something about paperwork and a couple of phone calls he had to make. Daniel had fallen asleep, his glasses askew as his head rested on top of the small table. Teal'c had lapsed into a light state of Kelno'reem. By this time, Jack had entered something like a trance, absentmindedly tracing the same pattern on his leg for the last quarter of an hour.

All three of them snapped wide awake when the door opened for a fourth time, this time the small, petite figure of Dr. Fraiser slipping into the room.

"She's stable, for now," she informed the three men, "but she's still not out of the woods. If she stays with us for another twenty-four hours, then she has a chance. But Colonel, Daniel, Teal'c," her voice caught, but then she pressed on, "you all are going to have to be prepared for the worst."

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

"Incoming wormhole," Walter announced, looking up as General Hammond descended the stairs and into the Control Room. "It's the Tok'ra," he added, the IDC flashing up onto his computer screen.

"Open the iris," Hammond ordered, and Walter complied, pressing his hand into the scanner that opened or closed the iris.

Twelve hours. It had been twelve hours since Major Carter had come out of surgery. And she was still clinging to life; but just barely. None of SG-1 had left her side as of yet, although Hammond assumed that Dr. Fraiser would soon be ordering them off to get something to eat soon.

The event horizon rippled, and two figures dressed in Tok'ra garb stepped out onto the ramp. General Hammond descended from the Control Room, entering the Gate Room as the two Tok'ra stepped off of the ramp.

"General Hammond," the taller of the two said, stepping forward, "I am Frelnon of the Tok'ra, and this is my brother, Blosar. We were sent by the Tok'ra High Council."

"Thank you, and welcome to Earth," Hammond said, turning to lead them out of the Gate Room, the Stargate deactivating as they exited.

"What is this about?" Blosar asked. "Apparently your message was rather vague."

"First of all," Hammond began, leading the way up the stairs and into the Briefing Room, "It might please you to know that we have Selmak in our custody for the time being."

"But Selmak went missing while on a mission over a month ago," Frelnon said, surprised.

"Yes. According to Colonel O'Neill, he was captured by the Goa'uld named Belenus. It seems as if he had been experimented on by the Goa'uld prior to SG-1's capture."

Frelnon glanced at Blosar, then asked, "Why does this necessitate us coming to your world? Why does he not merely return when he is fit to travel?"

"Because, currently, we have been forced to keep him under restraint due to the fact that he has attempted to kill Major Carter. This is one of the main reasons we wished for you to come to Earth," Hammond continued.

The sound of someone else walking up the stairs drew the three men's attentions. Jea'fron stepped into the room followed by an SF, dressed now in an unmarked SGC uniform.

"Might I explain, General Hammond?" he asked as he stepped into the room, hearing the topic of conversation. When the general had nodded his head in acquiescence, Jea'fron continued. "Belenus was working on a chemical that would force a man to kill whomever's DNA was mixed with the solution. He was attempting to create such a thing to the effect that assassinations would be much easier. For, in fact, if injected, a man would even be forced to kill himself. Belenus injected Selmak and Jacob Carter with this solution, using the DNA from his daughter, Samantha Carter. Jacob Carter kidnapped his daughter and tortured her for many days before we managed to locate and free Major Carter and take her father into custody."

"So you are wanting us to reverse the effects of this drug," Frelnon said shrewdly.

"Yes," General Hammond replied stoutly.

"We will not be able to do such a thing without the Goa'uld's notes and research," Blosar interjected.

"And now we come to the second reason we asked for a Tok'ra representative to come to Earth," General Hammond proclaimed. "Because, we do in fact, have much, if not all, of Belenus' research." The look on the Tok'ra's faces much reminded General Hammond of those of his granddaughters on Christmas morning.

"In that case, we would be more than happy to aide you in the reversal of the effects of the drug. As long as we would be given access to the information, of course," Frelnon said hurriedly, his voice eager.

General Hammond nodded his head. "I have already received permission from my superiors to show and send with you duplicates of all information gathered at the base."

"General Hammond, you said that Selmak tortured Major Carter?" Blosar asked suddenly, looking much more serious than his brother. General Hammond nodded, his face also suddenly grave. "Would you let me see to her?" the Tok'ra asked. "You have given us much. It is the least we can do to even the debt between us."

General Hammond nodded, smiling for the first time in over a week. He thought that, perhaps, there was more to the Tok'ra's reasons for wanting to aide Major Carter, but he did not pursue the subject. Instead, he merely allowed his heart to be filled with the warmth that only knowing your people are home and will be okay, could bring him.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

The clicking of heels on a cement floor and the steady breathing of three people beside her was the first thing that made its way through and into her numbed and shell-shocked mind. Sam cracked her eyes open, peering up at the gray ceiling of the infirmary, the feeling of a mattress under her body and pillows under her head sending her into temporary bliss.

She shifted uncomfortably, feeling numerous bandages covering her body. A crazed, loopy feeling pervaded her brain, telling her that she was on a heavy dose of pain killers.

A sudden small yelp drew Sam's attention to her right, where she saw Daniel sitting upright, looking at her with surprise and glee.

"She's awake," he said a little loudly, causing Sam to flinch. "Sorry," he said, much quieter this time.

"Nice to see those eyes of yours open Carter," Colonel O'Neill said matter of factly, a small hint of released tension in his voice.

"It is indeed good to see you awake, Major Carter," Teal'c informed her.

Daniel tilted a glass of water back so she could drink, then Sam looked around her again.

"Sir?" she asked, addressing O'Neill. "What happened?"

"You've been asleep for three days," O'Neill said. "According to Doc Fraiser, we got you here just in time."

"Last time I was awake I seem to remember being a lot more hurt," Carter mumbled. Yup, she was definitely on painkillers.

"Yeah, well, you went through a major surgery and you're on some mighty heavy pain meds right now."

"You were also healed by a Tok'ra by the name of Blosar," Teal'c added.

"Although he couldn't do everything; just enough to make sure you'd survive and to take the edge off of your other injuries," Daniel said, piping in.

Silence descended, and Sam found herself beginning to slip off into a peaceful sleep. But then her eyes snapped open as a surge of doubt and confusion swept through her.

"My father?" she asked, a tight knot of fear and apprehension growing in her stomach.

"The Tok'ra took them back to their base two days ago," Daniel told her gently. "They're going to reverse what was done to him using the research and information that we found in Belenus' labs."

Sam let out a breath of relief. Although she knew that it would be a good thing to face her father soon, she realized that she was truly, deathly afraid of the man that had raised her. Secretly, she was relieved that he was no longer anywhere near her, nowhere where he could harm her or touch her.

The clicking of heels on the floor returned, and the next thing Sam knew, Janet Fraiser was chasing the guys off saying, "She needs her rest. You can come back later." They left, although not without much grumbling.

"How are you feeling?" Janet asked, turning to Sam.

"Honestly, a bit loopy. And relieved," Sam added, the tenseness beginning to ease out of her limbs.

Janet sat down by her bed, smiling and giving her hand a squeeze. "Everything's going to be fine," she promised her best friend, her voice calm and reassuring.

"Thank you Janet," Sam said thickly, slipping down into the deep recess of painless, undisturbed sleep.

_Everything is going to be fine_. The words echoed through her mind, her very soul. And deep down, Sam knew Janet was right. Everything _would_ be alright. Not yet, not while she still harbored the unshakable fear for the man named Jacob Carter. But she knew that the day would come when she would forgive her father. And that would be the day she would be alright.


	11. Epilogue I

**Disclaimer:** Stargate SG-1 nor anything expressed in the franchise or by the creators of the show are mine. I have merely borrowed the ideas. No money was made off of the writing of this story.

**A/N:** ... Welcome to the Epilogue I, the first part in the two part Epilogue. As I was writing (and hit 6,000 words) I suddenly realized that the Epilogue was getting ridiculously long. And I still have quite a bit to write. Therefore, I decided to split it into two installments (Epilogue I and Epilogue II). I am terribly sorry if this will bug anyone, but I thought it would be the best in the long run for everyone. I hope to have the second, and final, Epilogue part up within a few days.

An enormous thank you goes out to LittlestLilyPotter, who helped me a bunch this time around (which means more than average). As always, read, review, but please, please, enjoy.

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Epilogue I

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The doorbell rang, the shrill sound punching through the blare of Christmas music caroling through the house. Mark Carter smiled, clambering to his feet and hurrying to the door. It opened to reveal his smiling older sister.

"Hey," he said, enveloping her in a warm embrace. "Come on in. I'm glad you could make it," he added, closing the door behind her. Two small blurs suddenly raced down the hallway, tackling Sam and hugging her tightly. For a second, Mark thought he saw a pained grimace flit across his sister's face, but then it was gone as she knelt down to bear hug David and Lisa, her niece and nephew.

"You know, these cookies aren't going to get frosted by themselves," came a laughing voice from inside the kitchen. A fair-haired woman came to stand in the doorway, smiling at the antics of her two children. "Come on, don't strangle Aunt Sam. Let's hurry up and get these cookies done." The two kids detached themselves from Sam and, giggling and laughing, went sprinting back towards the kitchen.

"Hello Mary, it's good to see you," Sam said, hugging her sister-in-law.

"You too," Mary said warmly. "Dinner's going to be ready in about half an hour," she added, turning back to the kitchen so she could watch the young ones.

"You got anything left in the car?" Mark asked.

"Just presents," Sam replied.

"Well, we don't even have the tree yet, so those are gonna have to wait," Mark said with a grin, leading Sam down the stairs and into the basement. "Do you know if Dad is coming?" Mark asked, opening the door to the guestroom.

A guarded expression flitted across Sam's face as she shook her head. "I haven't heard from him in a month or so," she told her brother, "But last I knew he hadn't said anything to the contrary."

"Well, either way, I'm really glad to see you. I'll leave you to unpack," he finished with a smile, closing the door with a click.

Sam dropped her duffle bag on the floor, sitting on the bed with a sigh. She absentmindedly massaged her collarbone, biting her tongue as a faint flash of pain emanated from the still-healing bone.

She almost hadn't come to Mark's for Christmas. It was only her promise to her niece and nephew, as well as Janet's firm belief that doing something outside of the safe walls of the base would be good for her, that had convinced her to come. But, once again, she was wondering if she had done the right thing.

If Jacob did come, then it would suddenly be an awkward week for the both of them. If she had merely seen him passing through in the hallways of the SGC she could have avoided him easily enough. But here there was no escaping him or her fear.

The five of them were just sitting down at the table for dinner when the doorbell rang a second time. Mark stood, a smile blossoming on his face as he went to answer it.

"Hey Dad," came his careful drawl from the hallway.

"Mark, it's good to see you." A thrill of terror raced through Sam's body, numbing her mind as she sat at the table.

"Go say hi to your grandpa," Mary told Lisa and David. They both sprang up from the table, running to greet Jacob with as much enthusiasm as they had when they had seen Sam. "You coming?" Mary asked Sam as she too stood up, moving to greet her father-in-law.

"Oh, um yeah," Sam mumbled, getting gingerly to her feet.

"You're getting so big," Jacob was telling David, ruffling his hair as the boy grinned foolishly. Mark was holding Lisa, who was also gazing at her grandpa with delight. "Hey Mary," Jacob said, giving her a one-armed hug. He glanced around then, his eyes searching for something.

Sam stood in the doorway, watching the family reunion with a guarded expression. Jacob's eyes met hers for an instant, and in the next instant she looked away.

"It's good to see you, Dad," Sam said, although still refusing to meet his gaze. Jacob's head bowed, pain, sorrow and something akin to loathing flickering in his eyes.

"We were just sitting down to dinner," Mary continued, apparently not seeing the strange look that had just passed between her father and sister-in-law.

"Great, I'm starving," Jacob said, putting his own bag down by the front door. Mark, however, noticed that the cheer and happiness had vanished from his voice. Just as he noticed that, as they all sat down at the table together, Mary grabbing a sixth chair from the living room, his sister's gaze was constantly flickering toward Jacob as if expecting him to suddenly spring at her with a knife in his hands.

After dinner and once the young ones were put to bed, the four adults gathered in the living room to talk, the fire crackling in the hearth beside them. Once again, Mark noticed something odd about both Sam and Jacob; Sam sat on the opposite side of the room from their father, although she kept him in her peripheral vision the entire time.

Silence had descended on the four of them when Sam stood up.

"I'll go get more wood for the fire, shall I?" she asked.

"Sure. It's out in the shed," Mark told her, smiling his thanks as she left the room.

Sam closed the sliding glass door behind her carefully, walking around the side of the house to find the woodshed. It stood small and dark in the night, the smell of cut wood and tools filling the air as Sam opened the door.

She stepped inside, her eyes adjusting to the darkness inside the small room. There were minute chinks in the walls, allowing a few stars to gleam through the slats. Her cold feet hit the wooden floor as she turned in a circle, examining the shed.

A strange feeling of familiarity filled her, causing her to bite her lip as she hurriedly turned to the side, reaching to fill her arms with chopped wood.

Her arms full, she rose to her feet, turning to leave. Jacob stood in the doorway, his face shadowed, his arms crossed across his chest in an uneasy fashion.

Sam took a step forward, saying coldly, "Get out of my way."

"Sam-" Jacob began, but she cut him off sharply.

"If it was forgiveness you came here for, I'm sorry but you're not going to find it. Not from me," she said, watching as her words sunk in. Deep, sincere sorrow settled over his features as he looked at her.

Silence fell, the two of them merely standing there, trying to find something to say.

"It was the worst thing I ever have had to endure. Worse than anything Apophis had ever done; worse than anything Hathor, or Heru'ur, or any of them could ever have done to me. But do you know what made it worse? That it was you. I mean, my brain is telling me that it wasn't even exactly you. That you, the man who is standing there right now, would never do any of those things to me. And yet, it was your face; it was your voice. And I just can't forgive you for that. Not yet."

Sam brushed past her silent father, entering the house to deliver the wood to the fireplace.

"I'm off to bed," she told Mark as she placed the wood in a neat stack beside the crackling fire.

"Okay. Good night then," her brother called out after her retreating form as she disappeared down the hallway.

A good ten minutes passed before Jacob finally reentered the house.

"Sam just went up to bed," Mark told his father. And then he noticed the strange look on Jacob's face. "Dad, what's going on?" he asked, standing up so he could look his father in the eye.

"What do you mean?" Jacob asked, looking at his son.

"Something happened between you and Sam. You two used to be closer than I ever will be to either of you. And yet, today, Sam wouldn't even make eye contact with you. Call me crazy, but it almost was as if she was," Mark trailed off, looking for the right word, "…afraid of you. And the words Sam Carter and fear are antonyms, in case you hadn't noticed."

"Mark, it's nothing," Jacob told his younger child, his tone a bit harsher than he had meant for it to be. "There's nothing I can do."

"Why don't you just go talk to her?" Mark asked, his eyes flashing. He suddenly remembered how his dad could make him so angry.

"Mark!" Jacob barked, looking at his son, silencing him. "I haven't even been able to forgive _myself_ for what I did. I can't expect her to." With that, Jacob spun on his heel, leaving the room, his face a cloud of self-loathing and anger. Although Mark was pretty sure that anger was directed at himself, not his son or daughter.

Mark turned to look at Mary, frowning.

"What was all that about?" his wife asked, standing to come to stand next to Mark.

"I'm not sure," Mark said. "But it sounds like Dad isn't expecting her to forgive him for whatever it was he did any time soon." He shook his head, the frown still on his face.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

A shrill scream shattered the peaceful night, causing Mark to sit bolt upright in bed. A second scream ripped the sleep induced fog from his mind. Somehow, deep inside of him, even though he had never heard her scream like that before in his life, Mark knew that it was Sam.

He swung his feet out of bed, barreling out of his and Mary's bedroom, ignoring her queries. A door farther down the hallway opened, and David's head poked out.

"Dad? What's going on?" he asked sleepily. "What's happening?"

"I dunno. Just stay in your room," Mark ordered, dashing down the steps. He hit the ground floor running, taking the stairs down into the basement two at a time.

He rounded the corner of the stairwell, and came to an abrupt halt.

Jacob was standing just outside Sam's doorway, as if he was wondering whether or not to go in. He looked up when Mark approached, then glanced at the door again when a third scream ripped through the night air.

"Dad?" Mark prompted as he neared his father. "Are you going to go in?" he hinted.

Jacob looked back up, his gaze meeting his son's.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I'll just make it worse."

The two of them merely stood there in the shadows that lined the hallway, Mark hoping his father would relent, Jacob standing there, looking torn between staying in the hallway and entering the room in front of him.

As Sam screamed once again, Mark sighed angrily, brushing past Jacob and pushing open the door. He clicked on the desk lamp, then sat down on the edge of his sister's bed. He watched as she writhed, tangled in the sheets, one hand pressed across her chest, her fingers splayed across her collarbone, the other raised in front of her face as if to fend off a blow.

"Sam?" he murmured, brushing her arm. Her eyes snapped open and she sat up in bed abruptly, lashing out at her brother. He barely managed to avoid her flying fist, leaping backwards and sprawling on the floor in his haste to avoid the punch. "Sam?" he asked again, standing up, his eyes filled with worry.

"Mark?" Sam asked tentatively, blinking in the light.

In the split instant before being wrenched fully into the realm of the conscious, Sam thought, just for a moment, that it was her father that was by her side, whispering her name. In that split instant, her heart yearned for him, yearned for his unconditional love, the way that he could take away her fears as he held her in his strong arms.

"Yeah, it's me," Mark answered, stepping forward. "You going to try to take my head off again?" he asked.

"Sorry," she murmured, the second with her bizarre wish for Jacob to be by her side vanishing like smoke. "Force of habit."

Mark reclaimed his position on the edge of Sam's bed, the light from the lamp falling across his sister's pale face. He was shocked when he saw her trembling uncontrollably.

He reached out tentatively, wrapping her in his arms.

As his arms closed around her shoulders, he caught a glimpse of her skin gleaming in the gentle light, her arms, neck and parts of her back exposed by the tank top she wore. Horror swept through him as he saw the bright, angry marks of old injuries still healing, stitches and butterfly tape still covering a few of them.

"What happened to you?" he asked quietly, still holding his sister in his arms, trying to calm her as she took in a shaky breath.

"You don't wanna know," she told him, her voice muffled by his shoulder. Suddenly, he realized that she was crying, her shoulders shaking from the sobs that wracked her body.

"Shhh," he said, rocking her back and forth. This felt strange, him sitting in here trying to comfort his older sister. She had always been so strong, never letting anything faze her.

Finally, she quieted, falling asleep and going limp in his arms. He gently laid her back down, pulling the sheets over her. He left as quietly as he could, switching off the lamp as he went.

He trudged slowly back up the stairs, thinking longingly of his own soft bed as he turned the corner.

Behind him, Jacob stared forlornly at the door to Sam's room, before finally going back to his own bed. For a long while longer he merely lay on the couch down in the basement listening, with Selmak's enhanced hearing, to the soft, even breathing that came from the next room.

He didn't blame Sam for hating him. Because the truth of the matter was that he hated himself. He had no right to call himself her father, not after what he had put her through. She was right, he decided. She couldn't forgive him. Not now – likely not ever.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

The next morning dawned sunny and bright with a bit of a nip in the air. As Mark walked sleepily into the kitchen, he was surprised to see Sam sitting at the table eating a bowl of Cheerios.

"Hey," he said cautiously, wondering how she would react to him after the night before.

"Hey," she answered, looking up at him and smiling.

"I'm kinda surprised to see someone else awake. I'm usually the first person up. I mean, it's only 6:30."

"I'm usually up before this," Sam said with a smile. "You know, with work and all."

"Right," Mark said, grabbing the box of Cheerios and a bowl and joining his sister at the table. Silence fell as the two siblings ate in a companionable silence, the only sound that of them eating.

Finally, Sam looked up from where she had been examining the tabletop.

"Uh, about last night…" she trailed off. "Thanks," she finally said.

"It's fine," Mark assured her. "What else are siblings for?" he asked.

"To annoy the living daylights out of each other?" Sam joked. Mark snorted, looking up at her evilly. With careful aim, he threw a Cheerio at her. To his surprise, she saw it at the last instant and dodged it, the soggy piece of cereal hitting the chair behind her.

"Gracious, you move fast," Mark said with a raise of his eyebrows.

"I almost _wasn't_ fast enough," she told him, then flung one of her own Cheerios at her brother. Mark, unlike Sam, was not fast enough to dodge the flying Cheerio, the cereal hitting him in the cheek.

"Hey thanks," he said, laughing, popping the Cheerio into his mouth and chewing with relish.

They grinned at each other, then went back to eating.

A few minutes later, Jacob joined them. Mark couldn't help but notice the chill that seemed to fill the air. Just as it had been the previous night, Sam refused to meet their father's gaze.

The rest of the day was filled with Christmas craziness, the six Carters busying themselves with decorating the house for the upcoming holiday. Christmas music blared through the house, excitement beginning to mount.

"Christmas Eve is in two days!" Lisa sang, skipping around the house with tinsel in her hands. David followed her, snatching the green and red decoration from her hands laughingly, the episode from the night before forgotten.

That night passed quietly, much to Mark's relief.

The next morning Sam, Mark, and the kids went out to find a tree. They drove out into the country, venturing forth up into the mountains to a small Christmas tree farm that they had been going to for their trees the last few years.

Lisa and David bolted out of the car as soon as it had rolled to a stop, diving into the snow banks by the side of the road. Sam and Mark exited the car with a little more maturity, although Mark was grinning just like his kids.

"Come on, let's go get us a tree," Mark called out, shepherding David toward the large copse of trees, Sam grabbing Lisa on her way by.

A surprised yelp forced its way out of Sam as her young niece stuffed a small handful of frigid snow down her shirt. Mark whirled around, then laughed as he saw Sam shaking clumps of snow out of her shirt.

"You better start running, Lisa. Aunt Sam's gonna get you now!" Mark exclaimed. Taking the cue, Sam put Lisa down, who took off running toward her daddy. Together the two of them raced into the trees, snow spurting behind their flying feet.

"Come on," Sam said, tapping David on the shoulder. "Let's get them." The two of them took off in pursuit of Lisa and Mark, grabbing balls of snow as they ran past snow banks.

A sudden volley of hard packed snowballs flew through the air, one of them hitting Sam in the shoulder. She grabbed David, pulling him behind a large fir tree as the pummeling continued.

"I'll distract them while you sneak around. When you get behind them, yell 'chipmunk', then hit them with as much snow as possible. Got it?" Sam asked the younger boy. He nodded, a smile stretching from ear to ear. "On the count of three, go."

"One, two, THREE!" Sam yelled, bursting out of their hiding place, lobbing a snowball behind a snow bank. A yelp issued from behind it, and the next thing she knew, Mark had burst from behind his shelter, sprinting toward her with all he was worth.

Sam led him on a merry dance through the trees, constantly pelting him with small flurries of snow, all the while fleeing in circles.

"Chipmunk!" David shouted, and then Lisa's shrill squeals split the air. Sam turned on her brother, shoving a handful of snow into his face. While he was spluttering, she swept his legs out from under him.

With that, she turned and raced towards the snow fortress, jumping over it and hitting Lisa with a snowball. Taken by surprise, the girl whirled on her aunt, letting loose another snowball. It slammed into Sam's left cheekbone. She dropped the snowball she had been holding with a gasp, gritting her teeth as pain radiated from the still sensitive bone.

"You okay?" Lisa asked, worried.

"Yeah. But if I were you I'd be watching David. Cause he's about to make your position," Sam whispered to her niece.

Lisa whirled around again, then took off after her older brother.

Once again, a chunk of snow dropped into the back of Sam's shirt, the cold substance stinging her back, and she turned to see Mark grinning at her.

"That's for giving me a face full," he told her with a smirk.

The two of them laughed, then settled back to wait for Lisa and David to come scurrying back to them. After only a minute or two, David appeared through the trees, running to take refuge behind Sam as Lisa came chasing after him.

"They remind me of us," Mark said a little later as he watched them play an adapted version of duck-duck-goose around the tree they had chosen. He turned and grinned at his sister, Sam smiling back.

That night was the traditional Christmas tree decorating event. Sam sat on the couch, watching as Mark and Mary helped Lisa and David hang up the ornaments, the multi-colored lights glittering through the bright green pine needles. Jacob sat on the other side of the room, unwrapping ornaments and handing them to his bounding grandkids whenever they came back to him, hands open.

Everyone went to bed early that night, the following morning being Christmas Eve.

Mark was dragged out of a restless sleep at three that morning, Sam's screams filling the house. Once again he found himself racing down the stairs and into her room, flipping on the lamp before cautiously waking her. He held her tight, carefully calming her down to the point where she could, once again, fall asleep.

As he left, shutting the door, he didn't notice his father sitting on the floor a few feet down the hallway, tears gleaming in the moonlight.


	12. Epilogue II

**Disclaimer:** Stargate SG-1 is not mine. It belongs instead to MGM and all of the other people and places it belongs to. The writing of this was solely for my enjoyment, as well as for the enjoyment of my readers. No copyright infringement intended.

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Epilogue II

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Christmas Eve was cloudy, the temperature holding in the low fifties. Presents were wrapped and placed under the tree, Sam's car emptied and Jacob's bag significantly lightened. That night, after a quick dinner of summer sausage, cheese, crackers, Doritos, and potato chips, all six of the Carters loaded up the two cars and drove to the traditional Christmas Eve service.

Candles lined the pews, the simple wax candles with plastic cups attached being handed to each person as they entered the sanctuary. A beautiful pipe organ lined one wall, carved wooden arches sweeping along the ceiling and large stained glass windows lining the outside wall of the sanctuary, all of it creating a cathedral like feel.

With a sigh, Sam settled onto the pew, gently massaging the knife wound above her knee. The lights dimmed and the service started, the choir singing carol after carol, all praising the newborn King.

It had been a long time since she had been to church, Sam realized. Often she was offworld on Sundays, and the few times she was on leave or actually had the time to go to church, she was either recuperating from an injury or was fast asleep, catching up on lost hours of slumber.

When the preacher mounted the podium, he paused for a moment before speaking, his eyes sweeping the congregation. For an instant, Sam would have sworn that he had locked eyes with her, smiling slightly before launching into his sermon.

As the sermon began, the words sort of ran together, all of them sounding like every other Christmas Eve service she had attended. But then, at the very end of the sermon, the preacher said something that caught Sam's attention, something that she had never heard before in a traditional service.

"God, who knew his son would be killed horrifically, still sent his one and only son to the Earth, so that we could find forgiveness through him. Does this mean that we should merely accept this gift and move on with our lives? Or should we, instead, follow his example, forgiving those around us.

Sometimes it seems as if there's something that is unforgivable. Well, God has forgiven us for that sin, and more. In fact, He has forgiven us for the sin of the entire world. Forgiveness is not something that should merely be accepted, but it is something that must be given as well.

Something tells me that some of you out there are struggling with that this Christmas season. I just want you all to leave tonight and think about the fact that God loved us all so much that he allowed his son to pay the ultimate price so we could be forgiven. Don't you think we should follow his example and forgive those around us that have wronged us?"

As the candles were lit and the last hymn sung, Sam could only sit there, gazing straight in front of her as the final words of the sermon sunk into her mind. Somehow, she knew that those words had been meant for her, whether the preacher had known that or not.

She glanced sideways, her gaze quickly finding Jacob who was standing on the other side of the pew from her, his back rigid as he stood there singing the final carol, his eyes unblinking.

The final note hung in the air, finally dying out and fading away.

"Sam?" Mary asked, who was standing beside her. She rested a hand on her sister-in-law's shoulder, encouraging Sam to look up at her. "We're getting ready to go. You coming?"

"What? Uh, yeah," Sam said, standing up and quickly glancing down at her unlit candle. She looked around herself as if just coming out of a daze, following Mary out of the pew.

With Sam following a few feet behind, the Carters left the auditorium, heading out to the parking lot where they converged on the two cars they had brought.

"I'm riding with Aunt Sam," David piped up, bouncing up and down by Sam's side. "Please?" he begged.

Mark looked at his older sister, who nodded, smiling.

"Okay then. Just make sure you do exactly what she says," Mark cautioned. David let out a whoop of excitement, then climbed into the backseat as Sam opened the driver's door.

"See you at home then," Sam said, sliding in as well and fastening her seatbelt.

Sam waited until the Subaru pulled out of its parking spot, driving toward the exit, before she slid the key into the ignition and started her own vehicle.

The two of them talked most of the way home, although it was David who was doing most of the speaking. He was practically about to explode from enthusiasm about Christmas and the presents and excitement of the next day.

After they pulled into the driveway, the two of them got out, Sam pausing to stare up at the stars twinkling high above them.

"Do you like the stars?" David asked Sam curiously, coming to stand beside her and gazing upward as well.

"Yeah, I do," Sam told him, sighing as she tore her gaze away from the glimmering heavenly orbs.

"You ever wish you could go explore any of them?" David asked, skipping up the steps to the front porch in front of her.

"No not really," Sam told him, opening the front door. "I like my life; what I do, the people I work with, the people I meet. I have all the adventure in my life I could ever hope for," she added wryly.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

A half hour later, Sam retreated to her room, begging exhaustion, and fell into bed, her hair still damp from the quick shower she taken.

Something deep inside of her seemed to be warring with itself; it was as if she was attempting to cover a large, gaping hole in her heart, but she was afraid to, holding onto the remnants of the past, trying to reopen the wound that was buried deep within her soul. She fell asleep, her mind and heart troubled, tossing restlessly.

"_Shut up, bitch," Jacob growled, hitting her once again with the belt buckle. She bit her lip, attempting to bite off the yell that tried to force its way from her mouth, determined not to cry. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't stop a strangled yelp from wriggling free._

"_When I tell you something, I expect you to listen and obey me," Jacob snarled, hitting her a second, then a third, and a fourth time. He kicked her savagely, forcing all the air out of her lungs. "Stupid chit," he added, kicking her again so she rolled onto her stomach._

_Lines of fire raced up and down along her ribs and spine as he slowly, methodically, opened long gashes in her skin. She tried to move, to throw him off, but he was kneeling on her shoulder and lower back, keeping her pressed against the ground. As the blade, which had dulled considerably since the first day, ripped through her skin, she couldn't keep the scream from wrenching itself from her lips._

_Then, once again, she could feel the electric device being forced through her skin, the blunt tip grinding into her collarbone. She screamed again, the piercing currents of electricity racing through her body, the pain only eclipsed by that of the bone slowly breaking and cracking under the force of the blow._

Outside of Sam's room the soft sound of feet traipsing down the stairs was drowned out by her shrill cries. Mark slowly turned the corner, running a hand through his hair as he, for the third time that week, made the journey down into the basement in the wee hours of the morning.

Today, however, like the first night, Mark found his father standing close to her door, gazing at the wood as if it would sting him should he touch it.

"Dad, what are you doing? Just go in there," Mark said, coming to stand in front of Jacob, arms folded across his chest, his chin jutting forward just like his sister's when she was being stubborn.

"Mark, how many times do I have to tell you I can't? She doesn't want me in there, and I can't face her when she's like this knowing what I've done," Jacob said, his own chin thrusting forward, an angry glint in his eyes.

"You're her father," Mark countered. "Don't give me that bull shit about you going in there to help her and making anything worse," he said getting angry, his voice beginning to rise in volume and intensity.

"Mark, you don't understand. You couldn't understand," Jacob barked. "I'm not even worthy of her calling me her father. Not anymore; not after what I did to her."

"You know what being a father is?" Mark asked after a second's silence. "It's looking after your children; being willing to fight for them; for their welfare. To protect them from anyone and anything that will dare to cause them harm. You have to be willing to do anything and everything in your power to be a shield; to guide and support. You have to be willing to give everything: your time, sanity, wellbeing, love, career, and even your life – _everything_ – to be the one that is there for them. It doesn't matter what you want, or what you feel; it's what you know you need to do. It's about doing it even though you don't want to, even though you're scared. Now get your butt in there and show her that you really do care. That, even if she hasn't forgiven you, that you still love her and that you truly are her father."

With that, Mark spun on his heel, stalking down the hallway toward the stairs, calling over his shoulder, "I'm going to bed." He paused at the foot of the stairs, turning back and looking Jacob straight in the eyes. "And if I find out you didn't go in there, you won't step foot in this house again."

An eerie silence fell over the Carter household, the quiet almost palpable. Jacob could only stand there, torn between slamming his fist into the wall and entering the room quietly.

Somewhere, deep inside of his heart, Jacob knew that his son was right. But, at the same time, Jacob realized that he was afraid to face Sam once again; that he was afraid that she would reject him like she had three days before.

One last scream shattered the uneasy tranquility, her fear and pain evident in her undulating shriek.

Jacob withdrew, seeking out the aid and comfort of Selmak. But the only thing he heard from her was a whisper as that of a leaf fluttering on an autumn breeze: _This is something you must do yourself, Jacob._

The scream issuing from behind the door reached a new intensity, as if she was feeling like she was being skinned alive. Jacob clenched his teeth, and reached forward to unlatch the door.

The door swung open nearly silently, the carpet that had been laid down on the cement floor muffling his footsteps as he drew closer to the bed. He paused for a second by the desk, flicking the small lamp on so that a soft glow filled the room. Then, carefully, as if he thought he would be scalded by the close proximity to his daughter, he approached the bed.

With a slight creak of the mattress, Jacob sat on the edge of Sam's bed, looking at the sweat soaked, and pale face of his firstborn. She whimpered in her sleep, her hand going once again to the stab wound centered over her collarbone, her other arm wrapping around her torso. Another small cry tore itself from her lips, and the last walls that Jacob had built up around his heart shattered and crumbled into dust.

He reached down, scooping up the tense form of his daughter, pulling her over until she was resting in his arms, her head against his chest. He then wrapped his arms around hers and began to croon softly, rocking back and forth slowly.

A soft, gentle murmur slowly drove away the encasing tendrils of the nightmare, the voice husky and yet comfortingly familiar. Slowly, the dark memory surrounding her gave way to a pearl gray fog, which in turn lifted.

Sam's eyes fluttered open. She saw that she was still in her room at her brother's house, although she realized within an instant that it was not Mark who was holding her, singing to her softly. The unique smell that washed over her brought the feeling of fear and pain. And yet, underneath the memories of terror, there was the feeling of safety and security.

"Hush Sammie, all is well," a kind voice whispered in her ear, a gentle hand rubbing up and down along her spine. "The nightmare is gone; that's all it was, just a dream."

And it was in that moment that the feelings of safety and security eclipsed those of fear and pain.

"Dad?" Sam whispered, craning her head around so she could get a good look at her father.

"I'm here Sam," he said just as quietly, looking down at her. Their eyes met, and more passed between the two of them in that single look than any thousand words could say.

"I'm sorry," Jacob said softly after a few more minutes of silence. And in his brief moment of weakness, Sam was able to see the truth, untainted, and clear.

"I forgive you," she whispered, looking up at the man who held her in his arms.

Something inside of her, something that felt like it had been missing, suddenly fell back into place with those words. It was as if some invisible fracture had just been mended; as if a thorn had been plucked from her soul. Because, in her heart, Sam meant what she had said with every fiber of her being.

Jacob leaned down hesitantly, placing a gentle kiss on his daughter's forehead.

"Thank you." The words were barely audible, almost as if they had been spoken from his soul to hers. And yet Sam heard the two words as clear as if he had shouted them.

Sam relaxed, falling into a peaceful sleep with a smile touching her lips, at peace in her father's arms.

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Mark trudged down the stairs to the basement, wondering what he would find when he went to wake his sister and his father up. He only hoped with all his heart that his tirade from the night before had accomplished his goal, and that Jacob had heeded his words. But Mark knew that his father was an extremely stubborn man, and Mark feared that he hadn't listened to his son.

Mark stopped in front of his sister's door, raised a hand and knocked tentatively. Only silence responded to his sally, so he tried again. For the second time, no one responded. His brows knitting together in slight worry, Mark pushed open his sister's door and peered in.

The first thing he noticed was that the desk lamp was still on, shining weakly in the predawn grayness that filtered into the room through the small window. Confusion filling his mind like a fog, Mark stepped into the room, and his eyes fell on the bed.

Jacob lay halfway propped up against the headboard, his eyes closed and his breathing steady. In his arms lay Sam, her head on his chest, Jacob's arms encircling her in a slumbering embrace. She, too, was fast asleep, the tension and fear erased from her face.

Mark hated to wake them, but it was Christmas morning, and if he and Mary kept David and Lisa in their rooms for much longer, he knew they would have two overly hyper children to deal with. Mary had agreed to bring the kids downstairs while Mark went to go and collect his sister and father.

Mark closed the distance between the door and the bed then kneeled down, gently shaking Jacob awake. The older man started, his eyes snapping open and his body tensing, his arms tightening around Sam protectively.

Sam's eyes also fluttered open, noticing the tensing in Jacob's body. For an instant she looked panicked, then she seemed to remember where she was, and she relaxed, settling into her father's caring embrace.

"G'morning," Mark said, smiling at the two of them. "Merry Christmas!"

Sam made a grumbling sound in the back of her throat, then sat up, Jacob releasing her and following suit.

"Really? It's morning?" Sam asked Mark, glancing around.

"Yup," he said, his grin widening. "Sleep well I take it?"

"Yeah," Sam said, standing and stretching. From up above them, the three heard squeals and excited chattering coming down to the ground floor, then the _thunk_ of feet crossing the floor above them.

"Shall we go up?" Mark asked. "David and Lisa will be nearly ready to explode from the excitement by now, probably." Jacob laughed, then stood as well, motioning to the door.

"But of course," he said. "People exploding is no fun at all."

Sam grimaced, as did Jacob after he realized what he had said. "Sorry," he muttered, grinning apologetically at Sam. Mark shook his head, not understanding the sudden awkward touch that had colored the air around them.

With Mark leading the way, the three of them ascended the steps up to the ground floor.

"They're here!" squealed Lisa. "Can we open presents now? Please?" she begged. Mary laughed, shooing her wayward daughter into the living room where the presents were stacked in brightly wrapped piles underneath the green fronds of the Christmas tree.

The six of them sat in a circle and, to Mark's genuine delight, he noticed that Sam chose the spot beside Jacob, leaning against the edge of the couch with a sigh.

Mary delivered presents into piles in front of each person, and then the opening of presents began, each person opening one each time their turn came.

Jacob's presents were the most unique, each of them seeming exotic and foreign as if they had come from someplace very far from home. He had gotten puzzles for Lisa and David, although they were puzzles unlike anything either of them had seen before. They were wooden with metal bands wrapping around them, sets of keys and dials and letters carved into them.

"You have all of the clues you need to unlock it," Jacob explained after both of them had unwrapped the cubes. "There's something else locked inside for each of you," he said with a grin.

He had gotten Mark an exquisitely carved figure of a dragon, fire licking its jaws and its scales each individually chiseled. For Mary, Jacob had purchased a canvas painting, the picture depicting a sunset over the ocean, the tips of the waves painted with stunning colors, two pearly blue moons just visible, rising in the background.

Mary looked up with a smile dancing in her eyes. "Jacob, this is beautiful. Where on Earth did you get such a thing?"

Jacob smiled mischievously, his eyes flicking to Sam's, then replied saying, "I travel to a lot of unusual places in my line of work. I found it in a market one day and thought of you." She smiled warmly at him, giving him a hug.

Jacob's gift to Sam was small but, when she opened the box, she gasped. She pulled out a delicate necklace that shimmered silver in the light. The necklace seemed to be made of a dozen entwined metal flowers, blue stones set into the centers of the buds, azure streaks radiating out to the edges of the petals. Jacob helped her attach it around her neck, the necklace coming to rest above her collar bone.

Sam turned and hugged Jacob tightly, whispering, "Thank you."

The remainder of the day passed uneventfully, filled with relaxing chatter and laughter. Slowly the sun began to set and Mary disappeared into the kitchen to prepare Christmas dinner, dragging Sam along to help.

"I really don't think this is a good idea," Jacob heard Sam protest as she vanished around the corner. "I could burn water if I tried." Her objections were swallowed up by the sound of pots banging from the other room.

"I see that you and Sam got things worked out," Mark commented offhandedly.

"We're working on it," Jacob said, leaning back and sprawling on the couch cushions.

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened between the two of you?" Mark asked, seeing that Lisa and David weren't in the room at the moment.

"No," Jacob answered resolutely. "And before you ask why not, just know that, even if the time came that I, personally, was able to tell you, I would still be breaking about a dozen laws."

Mark sighed. "You can't hide behind the 'I can't talk about it; it's classified' façade for forever you know."

Jacob grinned, saying, "Good. Because it's not a façade."

"Sometimes you're a royal pain in the ass, you know that?" Mark grumbled.

"So I've been told. Although not in those exact words," Jacob added, grinning all the wider. To be precise, he'd been called a pain in the miktah, but that was beside the point.

Dinner that night was a scrumptious affair, with an impressive array of food and delicacies. Everyone ate until they were stuffed, then Mark and Jacob were sent into cleanup mode, Mary claiming she and Sam had prepared the meal, the least they could do was clean. They complied with grudging good grace.

Shortly after, both Sam and Jacob went to bed, their drooping eyelids and discontinuous conversations evidence to their exhaustion.

"I don't think either of them have been sleeping well," Mark commented as he and Mary settled in front of the fire with mugs of coffee in hand. "I know for a fact Sam hasn't, and I know the two of them are really close. And whatever was wrong with Sam, it seemed as if it had something to do with Dad as well…" Mark trailed off. "I just hope they can get things straightened out between the two of them."

**~SG-1~SG-1~SG-1~**

Jacob jerked fully awake, hearing the restless movements from the room close beside him. A sharp cry split the air before it was cut off desperately. Jacob stood, grabbing the blanket from the back of the couch that he had been sleeping on, and making his way to Sam's room.

He opened the door, slipping into his eldest daughter's room, clicking the lamp on yet again.

"Sammie, wake up, it's just a dream," he said softly, sitting on the edge of her bed. She jerked awake, breathing heavily. It only took a few minutes for her trembling to quiet this time, Jacob holding her in his arms the entire time. "It's okay," he soothed.

Once she was quiet, he stood, motioning for her to follow him. She complied, following her father out of her room then out of the house through the basement door.

They were in the backyard, the grass slightly damp and chilly underneath her bare feet. Jacob led her to the middle of the yard where the towering shadows of the trees didn't encroach upon, and spread the blanket he had been carrying. He lay down on it and Sam joined him a few seconds later, both of them gazing up at the stars.

The night air was a tad chilly, having just a touch of a nip to it. The two of them merely lay there, gazing up at the celestial bodies twinkling high above them, beckoning, calling, father and daughter merely enjoying each other's stolid presence.

"Sometimes the sheer weight of what I do comes crashing down on me. That's when it feels almost as if I'm carrying the weight of the world," Sam finally said, breaking the silence.

"That's why you have your team," Jacob answered. "That way you can share the load."

"And family," Sam added quietly.

"Sometimes your family just makes everything worse," Jacob said morosely. "Sometimes we only succeed in making it infinitely more difficult and painful."

"That's just when you have to apologize and take a step back," she replied, silence once again descending.

"I'm sorry Sam," Jacob whispered, turning to look at her.

"I know," Sam answered, smiling slightly at him.

"As is Selmak," her father continued. "She wanted to tell you herself, but she figured she might not get the chance."

"You're forgiven; both of you," Sam told them, blinking her eyes as raw emotion threatened to overwhelm her.

She felt her father move beside her, enclosing her in his arms, pulling her up into a sitting position.

"I love you Samantha," Jacob said quietly, their eyes meeting. "I always have and I always will."

"I love you too, Dad," Sam replied, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She clutched him tightly, letting his stolidity assuage her fears. Slowly, one by one, they trickled away, leaving only her, Major Samantha Carter, daughter of Jacob Carter, behind.

And in that moment, Sam knew that she was alright.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** To borrow Amanda Tapping's words, "Well that happened." This is the end! OH MY! I've been working on this for almost two full months now, and this is the end! The end of my first ever fanfic, as well as the longest story I have ever written.

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me this entire time, offering support and encouragement, and never failing to send me a kind word or two. I hope the wild ride was worth it; I know I enjoyed it, wild ride though it may have been. Thank you again to all my readers.

Reviews are most welcome. In fact, I would love them! I sincerely hope that you liked this final installment of 'The Love of a Father', and I hope you all continue to travel with me as I explore the galaxy with my favorite characters!

~Seren~


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